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lARVARD 
;OLLEGE 
.IBRARY 



«%/ 



THE 

POEMS 

OF 

rSBT FERGUSSON. 

a 0mmm m 

WIIB 

r THE AUTHOR, AND REMARKS OM 
08 OBNIUS AND WSITINOSi 

JAMES GBAY, Esq. 

•T" 
rSK HIGH aCBOOL, XDUVBURGH, 

ADXHOA or COVA," &C 



EDINBURGH : 
NTED FOR JOHN FAIRBAIRN, 
»ERSON, JUN. 55. 2«ORTH BRIOGE-STKEET, 
C BOYD, MACREDIE & CO. EINUtBU&GU ; 
AKO T. TEGO, LONDON. 

1821. 



f 



/ "^ 



y 



/ 



..'.'.•>•'-«.'.• 



/ ' 



(' y: •■ 




ftpenswu sate only once for his portrait, 
■■■ tikao in a ^ot^lor manner by die celc- 
^tidi painwr, Alesander Rundnun. Mr 
: Bcannieis of EdinbuiKh, in a Uh of tlfe 
ibliaheiJ by him In ISO.1, gives Ihe ftillo*- 
oT the circumstance* under which 
m's portrait was takca : " That attiBt," 
nuu^ iwr*Iie> " itas in ITTS pinating in 



lb dotb, of die Pradigal ^, in which 
, Kii pencil bod inCroduced cieiy Dcces- 
^ect and circumstanoe Huggcsled by the 
sage At hif own desire, I called to 
was much pliuued witb the composiuon, 
„ end admirable efTect of the fieee, at 
batwwdone of it; hut eipressed my sur- 
.Obitrnng a litr^e space in the ceotre, ex- 
nMfaiug but chalk outlines of a human 
He Infomied me. tliat he liad reserved 
i«eGgrthe ProdigaL but could not find a 
whom personal form, and eipretsive 
IB cuch Bi he could ap^Toie eS, «wi. 

- attaaily occurreil to me -, 



...^ ai. live I appointed t« 

him and tlie Poet, in a tavern, Parlia 
we did so, and I introduced him. 
was much pleased both with his figm 
versation. I intimated to Fergusson tl 
the business on which we met: he i 
next forenoon. I accompanied him fo 
pose ; and in a few days the picture 
exhibited the Bard in the character of 
sitting on a grassy bank, surrounded 
some of which were sleeping, and othe 
his right leg over his left knee; eye 
hands clasped, tattered clothes, and w 
sive countenance, bemoaning his forlor 
serable situation ! This picture, whei 
reflected high honour on the painter, be 
admired. It was sent to the Royal £xl 
London, where it was also highly estee 
there purchased by a gentleman of taste 
tune at a considerable price. I have 
pressed a wish to see a print from it, 
had that pleasure; as it exhibited a [ 
my favourite Bard, which for likeness, « 
and expression, might have done bono 
taste and pencil of a Sir .Toshna vf^ ' 



.prewnled; and there is erecy r«iuon to believe 
■hat (be portiait of Fergusson was failfatully copied 
bf Hundrmn from the fonner picture, 'nils n 
.aowia ifaepossewianor David Stmui, Esq. of lite 
Oawm, Edinburgh : Of this picture Mr Stcuart 
Bi«B the following account. 

" It is 6vc feet five inches broad, b^ Ihree feet 
deren iochei high ; and was purchased by me in 
Ibe year 1793, it the sale of ibe colleclion of 
■nedalii umhb, and other articles, belonging to 
die bu Mr Gumming, secretary to the Anticjus- 
riui Societf . I wBi iofarmed at the tjme that )be 
Ficlure was originally intended to be placed in the 
Etiglish Cbapel in the Cowgate, which is liliciy, as 
k b painted oa a thick piece of capper, to re»sl ihe 
iquriei of dme and weather, and 19 done with great 
eare^ being one of the moat highly Bnished works 
of lliis much esteemed mister. The subject seems 
■a faave been a favourite one with him, for, Ijesides 
the dnwing in my possession, he eieculed four, 
if ml five, paintings of it, nil riiflering from each 
OOwr. The one in my possession is dated 1774. 
As Runciman was a long while before lie met 
Killi ■ countenance to his liking for the Prodigal 
Su, there is every probsbilily that, bting once 
mlsdcd, he would again introduce the portrait of 
til* Fou in this picture. It ii full of eipresuoo, 
and i« * etudy that on Arti'at of feeliog would 

file Engraving prefixed to this Volume is 
«Meul«d bf Mr Uorsburgli in a superior oianner, 
■miA ateam altogether the best, if not the only por- 
Mil that hu yet appeared of Fergusson. Besides 
(H caff U pondence with the descriptioQ given of 
Ut perNHiol appesraiice, there are many conobo. 
Ming wcumalsnces to proya the accuracy of ths 



Edinburgh, 
M October 1821. 



IIOBERT FERGUSSONJ 



With the utmost trulh in thi> remark appIMlQ' I 
MillimtoIlwpDCiBk Works of pliilosi^jruid science 
ateonljtbeitudyof afew luperiar fnindi, but ibi^ 
pfoductioni of imaginadon are peruBed by meu of 
evcrj doeription- Tbe learned and the Ignorant, 
Lhc grare aiid Ibe ^y, the foung and (he olJ, Gnil 
somelliing attrafliie lO ibe Varivd pages of tbe <n- 
spired lianl. Heno) is tht Isidi'iicy of lUch eS\:- 
iion« of the utmou importance, in Ibrtning ibu 
astc, and cultiratiag llio tnoml ptrceptiona, espe- 
cially of ibo youtbful mind. A htrole «pirit has 
jeen routed by a pllriodc lOng, n hard and prniiit 
mind enft^ned to sjtnpnlliy liy a povernil rtpK. 
KDiatioii of fictidoiis distrcts. TIic dlaouit w*n. 
derer, restored to Ilia native Kttioi by a tively de- 
S£riptiDn> baa blest Ibe poet's pen i th« solitary 
iIiDUghts of the innilid lia*e been iransporied tii 
green fields and cooling streams, and lii& Uxi<t^v& 
par charmed »iib the «ood\Kvi ha^, «•>». *« 
pious aoat h nwakeoed V« a losKe eiiiiwei te^^« 



feel most interested when he speaks 
We feel the deepest sympathy in Milton 
In reading Cowper, we delight in the s 
of Olney, and wish we could take a seat 
asid participate in the intellectual con 
its drawing-room. Can a Scotsman thii 
repeating the Cottar's Saturday-night tc 
Gilbert, when returning from a hard d 
at the plough, without a proud feeling 
longs to a country that could produce 
sants ? Can we read his pathetic lament 
he thought he had lost the alfections 
roan he loved, without being convinced 
derness of his heart ? or the manly se 
his independent spirit, without regrettii 
spirit was broken, though not to be o^ 
" stern ruin*s ploughshare?** How n 
lament that we know so little of Shak: 
knew so much of us all ; whose living s> 
depict every human heart, and lay oper 
feelings; whose portraits represent th( 



BOBEBT FERGUSSON. 

1 or scenes, aod h dEllneation of Teeli 
, ate f^milinr with our t 
oM. If noi^Cbrtuno lie lh« aRendant oS 
i & bang. Iiis idea ia accompanied in out 
rhll I tenda regret, atid tin oarnesl wiih 
had kaown liioi in his daya af somw, aod 
rled our aid lo lighten the burden. The 
(rakfbrtune and genius hsi long been pto- 
SUbject of lamentatim to the generous 
di^itGneit and of sco^Dg and eitnlta^ 
! Mupid ntd illiber^. To wbat eiieiit 
ib, or die fstiona canMi Drom which it ma; 
/ intention lo inquire ; but it 
rue, that Ronrar Fehquisoh, llie indiiiduol 
:har3cler and Iiistorj' I am about attci 
de«ribe, is n melamjui^ -imance of it. 
raa the son of ^ViiliaIn Fergaiaio, Trlio 
ce of an accountant in she British Li 



and two daughters, uaprnvidi 
Buy, IDC vliint son, went lo sea. Oi 
youngeM, uolir IS yean old, 
■mtv, anudencof diviaiijr, having obtaioi 
iveiti^. He was bon 
_ . , Ember 1T51, and bad 

llMMriypttt of hi* classical educatiDndi 



I 



t the grammar 

f> lie made superior progrera, tboiigfa be'J 

(Omd^ alnent from bad health. At thowH 
r ndinirei) a lore of reading, and Ihe BibM 
brourite book. During his reddence at 
Vn, bia poetical talcnta began b: 

nl tool Eulyei.'ts, i:i piece* io Tf)iich bb H 

teprorofiors. 



^_.»* aiiu nigli respect, a 
wrote an Eclogue as a tribute to liis 
the powerful exertions of this frier 
debted for being reinstated in the pri 
university, after a temporary expuisi 
a party in a foolish encounter with 
other students, on the evening sue 
distribution of the Earl of KinnouPs ] 
When the term of his bursary expii 
it necessary to relinquish his clerical s 
try to obtain some more immediate me; 
sistence ; to which he was farther indui 
duty, being anxious to assist his mother 
he felt the most tender attachment, 
various plans were suggested, which, ah 
abortive. His mother and he were onl 
panions of sympathy ; they felt how di 
even to enter on the road to indepcndc 
out some powerful hand to aid them, 
the talents of her son,' she saw them t 
she felt the pang of receiving the despor 
■without being able to return » '-' — 



roKer; 

It lo Ihe oierflDwinga of hii nounded qaril 
■ manly and reproacUful letter, enpressive of 

■ ifciUillgs to derray Ibc expenses of his joumcj to 

■ trdialiurgb. He prnceeded on fbot : tlie vty was 
I fang and wesrisomc — be nassoliiBrjandilepond- 

■ lll|^ Oiei ome by eihitustion and laligue, lie nr- 
' H-'s house, and Tell into a seiere 

cHbcts were cierted for his rc- 

d in a short time regained its 

ind he amused himself by com- 

I podtig ■ poem on the Decay of Friend^ihip, and 

' one against the refusing at Fmtuue, 

le now became s regular conlributOT to Ruddi. 
's Weekly Magaiioe ; and his pieces eicited a 
I OBiiMderable degree of attention, though they oflbrd- 
I <d him little pecuniary aid. Hismiudseemslo hate 
a completely imbued n'iih the love of rhyme ; 
»y drcumitauce that occurred seems lo have (ug- 
I fsnUd B poem — but it does not appear that ha de- 
, lirad HI} inportant advantage from these local eSii- 
' ajOrtWrae'edthesmallest notice from any man 
■eniua or literature, though there must have 
nminy in Edinburgh at that period. In this 



K be IBS le 



le tbau 



Nort 



t Or enlightened mind seems to hare taken 
I KX Interest in the youthAil Poet. No Blacklock, 
[ M HoclMluiu, no Dugold Sleirart " fanned the 
rather puriEicd its source, arrd directed 
liy thai intellectual conversation which 
leans of improving the laite, and Mr- 
J ibe moral principle. His associates were 
Ij Ibe ytning and the gay, whose greatest en- 
tntls the convivial party, the living spirit Of 
I Forgusson seema lo have been, and the 
ctB he too frequently chose lor \«5 Miisa 
(Aote iBoal cdlculaled to promote Ihe oMVuu- j 



— Mt Llli 



/ . , /- 



no BE ITT FEJIffeSSON. tK 

wh;, lie cried oui, O mother, he Ifaat ^parclh die 
Fod, hateth ihc child. It a no wonder, then, thnl 
these feelings gained itrengtb ■[ Iliis unhappy pe- 
riod. It is ootj to be regnrtled that tbey did not 
resusie Iheir power, when his mind waa in a stale 
that thrj could have restmined hit excesses— pro- 
duced upri^laess of Gooducl, steadine<is in virtue, 
and conBoUtion ip eorrow. 

But io the Hul of the unhappy loaaiBr, it was 
only the borror of despair. One ar two striking 

luecdafes aTie told, vhieb prove the wildness of his 

deal oti that suhject. 

Before Ms confinement he WB* met, bj Mr 
Wood* t^ the Thestre, ualkiug Bitb a hunied 
pace. On his sloi^tig him, be cried, " I bafe 

'■ vered one of the reprohntes that cruciiicd our 
lUF, and I am going with the inrormatioD to 
Lord Kamc^ that be laay bring him to punidi- 

Ii has also been ss!l riiat bis religious thoughts 
rere rendered more glocBoy, by « conrcrsatiod he 
Dcidentolly held with an eminent dMne, in the 
hurch-vard of Haddington, on the mon^ Male 
f man. Deep impressions of religion seen to 
have belonged lo the taroily; for his sister Mrs 
Duval, a ivoman of superior inlellecrt, vm ex- 
tremely eloquent upon that subject, using argll- 
lents ivhen the eDWiiucenid iti toes, that " tore 
ie Sctptic't tayi." 

When aoOB hopes of lijsnllnd regaining iti fbN 

ler power* begut to dinn upon bis friendik (bey 

'ere suddenly tiUtMd by hii meeting with n filial 

ccident. He fvll Vhun a Mair-cai^ and received 

violent conluutm on the head. Wlien carried 

home, he naa eompletelif iinetuVtA*. «i>^ v 

ji/ier beaiine ED oulrngcoiu taVo t«»^ t&^VK 

V»H> reslraiat. Then came Ae a-frtvA ^ii^« 



"ting mZdv^t"'' "'^'^ 

P^'ient, as is uTaH^ '^. '*« 

'he public asy um h "'"''' ^^' 

arrived there heT.>l«'-«l 

his situation? and T • """^"'''" 

«'ecJ to his iS?!^,^ •■"'^'"'ards in ^ 

a form, and ?^«°"«'"5 ^^^n in i> 
"Sbt, some tin r«^ ^'"■'« ' 
«J "P, and „,"h !" ^''''''^<^ '"■^ 
" Great Jupito snuff. ^^'"' a"' 
almost entirely Irl^""^ ""><»> : 
and «-i,h great v.h?''^ "'" «°< 
ewlaimedf * Th„ "'""'^^ <"■ '""e ^ 



HOBEAT FERGD3S0N'. 



»fll 



•• Uight yon nol come i , _ „,^„ 

om't imnglne how comfortable il wouIdtM," 
Mi rtnuBded Ihim of bn presenliineTit thai he 
■whelmed byihis fatal ealamity; but 
ihal he was humanely ireaud. All 
tbe ttaufnl illuaioaa of hU diwrdcri'd bntin seemed 
Imtc Hibsided, and his aniioiii parent bade him 
ftrewdl, cherishing a unguine hope thai he might 
be finally Tcslored to reason. She liad n remti- 
tancc tkom her elder sodi which ah€ considered Che 
liliiniiil meoni of rctnoving ihe younger from hii 
disiOBl abode. Anioialed with thin thaughl, the 
determined to briog him to her home, and uiim». 
ilulely began pieparadon's for his reception. 

But alas \ this plan of mslernal loic was not to 
be rcsliied. Nature was e<hausted( and Robert 
Ferguason expired in the asylum, on the t6th of 
OdobcT 1774, in the SHlh year of his age. He 
was interred in the Canongatc churchyard: no 
■tone marked his grave, till Sums, actuated by a 
-eneroiu admiradDn of similar toleni, erected a 
wmple monument, on which he inscribed the fal- 
lowing epitaph : — 

" ROBERT FERGUSSON, Pora. 

" No aculptut'il marble here, nor pompous lay I 
" No (toricd um, nor animated bust ! 
" Thi* Mmple stone directa pale Scotia's way. 
" To poui ber mitows o'er her poet's dust" 

By special grant of the Managers 
I &OIUT BuHNs, who erected this Slon^ 

Blemory of 
I ROBERT FEHGUSSON.l 



B andablei bis tdSKsctions warm £ 
mannem fiv<riy asd< •iHM'ng j ' 
rervatioii entertatoli^ ao4 £▼( 
a fine voice, and a sopetfior ta 
I figure was gentee^ -iad well 
atenanee popswoMd eoittaiderable 
urly his ej&t, which were dark ai 



GENIUS AND WRITINGS 



FERGUSSON. 



:^n be no more striking proof of the dcgra- 
if Scotlond, after ihe transference of Ihe 

■I her native tongue fell into diuvpiile, and the 
nream of her posuy, that hiid come donn 
inintemipted lenorfrom Barbour to James 
I. absolutely ceased <o fluw. Edinburgh »ink 
station of a provincial town. All the en- 
rprising spirits oi' Scotlnnd »cre attracted to 
jodon — the grand emporium of prefimnent, and 
the; valued success there, ibey v/erv at puns 
■ forget, not only the pronuncialion, but even the 
cabulary of their early y«ars. Till ihst erent. 
1 period, Scotland bad produced a nice of poets, 
I conlesled Ibe palm ivilb the conlemporaiy 
It of the south. Barbour, James I. Uutihar, 
iwin Douglas, and Dnnnmood of Hawtbonu 
ete, in their peculiar way, equul lo the 
li poeH of their own day. But from the 
■at the Scottish aovereigna ceased to hold 
lurt in Scotland, tbe Scottish muse was not 
ly neglected, but any commerce with her was 
led diigracerul. She indigauilly stretched ber 
, and Hed the ungrateful country, a ' ' * 
the patDDlic n 



— JJ — _J.J , 

ments furnish the best 
she in turn inflames t 
glorious deeds. The 
lovers and patrons of 
of them were its bri 
would be difficult to na 
own age possessed of 
James I. But when 
England, they either fc 
bles of the times fum 
ment than the cultivatlc 
succeeded a race, who i 
even looked upon her v 
From that period, I 
poesy was complete, an 
till Allan Ramsay aro! 
the people, to restore th 
vindicate the honours 
from this source alon 
national learning coul 
The gentry, who looker 



iBnguage.hisroleambiiion was tadelincBle Scot. 
h manoers in the Scottish ^olecl; and in the 
Gentle 3bepherd he has auaeeedod in both. Na- 
ture bad denied him the sublinrily thai elevates ttae 
miDd, or the pathos tbot itielts it into aorrow, but 
fth« had endirwEd him with An aciiteoesfl of obser- 
IhiU enabled him to execute a fhithful por- 
traiture of the pastoral manners of Scotland, and 
a cocrectness of laste that led him to seize their 
beautiful and iulerotingfeBturee. The llke- 
h withal to striking, and the colouring to 
7resb and livid, and so obvioiul) laid on by Natures 
pencil, that while we look upon it, we feel s 



_ . It is genera! Nature modified by 

tiie pectiUar babies of Ibe pastoral hills and ralleys 
if Scotland, and the actions and the language of 
BaiDsay's sbeptierds bate an individoality that can- 
lOt be mistaken. Little can lie said in praise of 
hi* lyrirt : He has not left oae song tfial lises for 
mbofve mediocrity; but tbegloiy of creating >ierie« 
of lyric poetry, worthy of the heatt-Ibrilling music 
lof Scatlaiul. oai tvserred Ibr a gnnler man. 

To Ksmiay succeeded Fergusaon, a man diitln. 
niisbed alike by the cmira and the nusfortonn of 
Ilia Bfev bhI *!>* Mrengtb and originality of Ids gc- 
Wns • yet tboc is renoa to believe, thai Us Bui. 
inp haf« Ikco en g gen u ed : but I bare abtady 




•teelfuponus,~AretI 
ofgenms? Had he j 

tte favour of his come, 
of posterity, he would , 

f ""I? 'he poets of Sc 

'ZTT °^ " "''''he, 
Poetjcal quality. We, 
wading these poems, o 
S^^n's; and the onl. 
the mmd during the pe] 
fquahties of genius. " 
in Ruins," and tlie " Ed 

fon>n the character of i^: 
been praised, rather, it" 
«""«ons, than from I 

Some of tl^se poems are 

"""'yf""" the title that 
design in wriUng them 

ludicroL tLl!f ^^'.''e g. 



WRITIKCTB 07 ' f U Rctre SO ^. *•!"' 

perreraity of lasle» obscured the lighb of 
genius, uid if Eli«re it oiuch UJ admliw, 
, also much lo censure. The great dcfvct 
piiud seems to have been the went or that 
ding ur propriety, which it the regulating 
'* ^niui, and is as mtich the gift of nature, 
fancy, or a, daring unagination. This 
sable in him, than it would have been 
lleducaled poet ; far though taste is an oii- 
pdowment, u well as any other of the higher 
qualities it is more susceptible of improv&- 
liBti BDj of them. All that schoob or coU 
ould do for the human mind, was done for 
on> From boyhood, he had been trained 
study of the purest models of antiquity. 
miieraity his judgment hod been strengtb- 
id ealarged by science, and lie had tlien 
ctures an morals and taste; yet in this laUl 
Jity he is far inferior lo bis uneducated bre-' 
Ramsay, Bums, and Hogg, 
^t of the some genius has, perhaps, eter 
< unfortunate in the choice of tul^ecta: 
his language is mare umniogled 8G0la 
Iber Ramsay's or Burnv's, he was □a^ 
at, ambitious of being the poet of Scothmd, 
tented himself with describing the lowest 
le least interesting of the local 
lirgb. Wc cannot avoid laDienilng that 
which might have ritalled Ramsy 
culling the poetic flowers which na 
iltered nilb so liberal a hand over the pUii 

"land, and^oijog those mann ■-■-•- — 

Uanlry uoong (bu nations, tho 
wing by the impurities and filth of ■ ^xit 
hCAai inslead of perchinE upoa flie Xw^Bwfc 
or the (Jossotoing hanthom, QI io»iwv% 'o 



lod- J 



proves tbe divinity of her origin. Ir 
this assertion, it would be alone suffic 
the Fanner's Ingle. 

The poet has there hit upon the f 
poetry. It is by far the happiest of hi 
had his taste always led him to the cl 
subjects, he might have disputed the 
Scottish fame with Burns. Indepenc 
of all relative considerations, it is a n 
refreshing and faithful picture of th 
virtuous manners of an interesting ck 
and shews how well he was qualified 
the performance of the national work 
executed by his great successor. It 
true inspiration of poetry and of patri 
gusson seems to have understood that 
roost likely to succeed who described 
of his country in his country's lang 
was unfortunate that he so seldom chi 
est forms ; and though he knew well 
of country above every thing else 



WHITINGS OFPEHGDSEON. "W 

though hp certainly took the first hint ol 
L it. lio borrowed nothing c' 
uol an idea; BOd much as 
H aihnire the bard of K din, «c r 
if Ayrdlire ploughman bos pmdi 
M tntarening ^otau What Fraguuoa 
tpled, Iw has admiribly exeouted. N 
n more failhflil or grapbic than the d 
if ihe group ssKmbled round the Ingit 
aboun of the day ; but esccptin^ two ii 
B beginning, ■' On sreken food," S. 
iclnding iiamui, it i« rxiliet a scene of re- 
utd calm delight ihan of enthusiastic eicite- 
L FtegUDon has scarcely leDtured beyond 
I the picture bdbrc him preMDls to Ihc eye. 
a bafi ennobled his poem by thu introduction 
suthfut lov?, (if pure religion, of a lofly pa. 
■m, and of every virtue lh»t cnn render bum- 
fe amiable or delightful, or brighu^n the pro* 
a beyond ii, and lUl this in a strain of iiupirk 
■rurthy of the suliject. In one respect Ft " 
in has the advanUigo os — ' "' 





juKice (o Fergatsoa to call to mi 
s bid ftoa iafnncy wiuieswd Ae si 

Bhimielf an important persanag*|| 

so admirably dc^ribes, and had at 

period or other eiperienccd every feeling 
Msnon that glows n>itb nich Eplendour in h>i 
I, whDe FETgUHion could only obtain occa- 
1 glimpK* «f mnU lift. 

isprebaUle ihnt BurttB\iQt*cnie& ftwiAsa* 
Tipa Brigs" btnft fcngnsatv'i " TeSsmsSamo 



tion of the Farmer's ingle, he has 
poem in which the expectation, rai 
splendid merit, is not disappoints 
elusion. The opening of Leith B 
" Mirth*' is a true poetic visioi 
pare with Bums's Coila ; but the 
ceases to gaze on the fairy phant 
nation, he and she part company 
inspiring genius of the day, for 
possesses considerable merit, it di 
exhilarations of mirth. It too fr 
that the finest note of preparatic 
while on the delighted ear, and 
In the exordium of the Ghaist, 
rors of a churchyard are brough 
in ima^nations worthy of Shi 
succeeding dialogue between the 
and Watson does not rise above 
mon conversation. 

Of the love ode or song, whi 
numerous, and perhaps the mos 
of Bums's poetry, Fergusson has 
specimen. Love seems to have 
his bosom. This is the more sin^ 



m 



EERGUSSOK. "T 

slins them, are all his 
Ho wa> endowed bj nature wilh great sus- 
bility at mind, and seeics mosl readily In have 
I the tons ot Ihe objecis around him. lie 
a poetry, and whalerer presented itself to 
, ivas wilfa hita a tbemc for Iho muse. In 
my his subjeFtsare often ill chosen J yet it is 
^ful with what art he has elevated ^e low, 
"irown over niHierials ihe most unpromising 
^rcBt which does not seem to belong to them. 
was in his mind oil the elements of the 
d cbarBcter.^^eelin^, tkncyj imBginatioii, 
itbusiaam; but his enthusiasm was deprew- 
1 chilled by pavcrty, the eye of his imagina- 
dimmed by the city atmosphere, and the bgfal 
understanding prematurely quenched by a 
a malady. In pleasing -vieui of rural lift, 
I inferior to Ramsay, and in mastery of the 
m heart, to Burns) but he is equal lo the 
r, and far superior lo the former, in n'gour of 
lect, and certainly not inferior lo either in 
1 of description. Had he vriilen li»s. hia 
le would have been more pleasing in perusal, 
is uaceitain if we should have risen from it 
t more exalted jdeu of h's genius; and had 
le been as auspicious id him in pladng him 
dlualion favourable to the deveJopemeut of 
leal lalent, as nature in endowing him with 

val ii ' ~ 



CONTENTS. 




On the Death ot lui ^.^^^ 

Comedian, 

To the Memory of Cunninghami tb 
The Delights of Virtue, . . . 

A Tavern Elegy, 

Good Eating, 

Tea, 

The Sow of Feeling, .... 
An Expedition to Fife and the Isla 
To Sir John Fielding, on his atf 

suppress the Beggar's Opera, 
Character of a Friend, . . , 
To Dr Samuel Johnson, . . . 
Epigram on seeing scales used 

Lodge, 

Epitaph on General Wolfe, . . 
Epigram on the numerous Epitaj 

Wolfe, 

Epilogue, spoken by Mr Wilsoi 

racter of an Edinburgh Bu 

My Last Will, 

TastWill, . . 



»»» 




COKTENTS. 

Eleg; OD the death of Scotliah Music. I'agn 

HnUowfiiir, 

Ode to the Bee, 

On leang a Butterfly in the Street, . . 

Ode to the Gowdspiuh, 

CkiIct Water, 

Hie Bitting of the Sesaioii, 

The Biong of Ihe Session, , . . . . 

Ldtfa Bsces. .... .... 

The Fumer's Ingle, ... 

TTieEIefliDn ... 

To the Tlou-Kirt Bell 

Uulual Campliunt of Plainslanes and Cause. 

A Drink Eclogue, 

To the IVincipal uid Professors of the Uni- 
venilf of St Andrews, on Iheir superb 
Went to DrJohtisoD 

Elegj on John Hogg, 

Hie Ohoiats, a Kirk-yord Ecloguu. ■ ■ ■ 

Epiide to Mr R. Ferguson 

Answer to the £)Nstle, ...... 

To my Anld Breeki, ...... 

Atild Reekie, 

Umw Content, a Satire, 



KChap-iii. Faraphmsed, 



-Lines ^iiri^ ^P^g^am, 



VABIOUS SUBJ£CTf^^| 

PASTORAL ^^M 

^H UOSNIXG. ^^H 

AvHoAA noir her ndcome li^it pays ; 
Stern diirkneis Siea berare livr diecrful njs ; 
Cool cirtUng breezes whirl slong tJie air. 
Anil Ba\j shepherds to the Celda repair : 
L«ul WD Dur flocks, Ihen, to the mDuntiliii't broi 
Whore junipers and ihomy bmcDbles grow : 
WTiere tbuuls of naler 'uiidnt the daisies spring, 
And unlng Urks and tiuiEful linnets ^ing; 
Tour pleasing sang ehnll teach our flcKkt l^jlH 
VUlt sauading ecbpes smMtb the •ylrUtSH 



... wiusic and yoi 
Sing then,— for here we m 
Our sportive lambkins on tl 



DAMON. 



With ruddy glow the sun ad 
I'he pearly dew-drof s on the 
The lowing oxen from the fo 
And snowy flocks upon the h 



ALEXIS. 



How sweet the murmurs of th 
Sweet are the slumbers which i 
Through pebbly channels windi 
And brilliant sparkling to the r. 



DAMON. 

• 

Behold £dina*s lofty turrets risi 
Her structures fair adorn the ea 
As Pentland's cliffs o*ertop yon 
So she the tfities on our norUi d 

ALEXIS. 

Boast not of cities, or ♦»»-*- ' 




_ irbouDdcs,allyourinoiitutB)(dd 
IJal fiiiils and herbage ma; our farm^ idoni, 
.And furrow'd riijgei [eem with loaded com. 



TIe year Btresdj bulh propitiouB smil'd ; 
GmUe in Eprii^-iiine, and in sutnmer mild ; 
Ho cutting UsBlg bavo hurt my teudiT dam^ { 
No boat; &0Et$ destroy'd niy iatani Iambi. 



If Cem crawn wUli jo; (he bountmui year, 
A Mend Bllar la her sfarine I'll reari 
A vigoraiu ram ihall bleed, whose eurling hori 
HiH wuoUj neck and haitly frqoE adorm. 



T«Mh mi, O Pan I to tunc ilic slender reed, 
No faiouiite ram «ball al thine altars bleed i 
Each brcBtliing mom tb; waodlaod verse I'll sing 
And hollow deal thatl «ith the numbera ring. 



And bid flcst Echo Iteai the souod sway. 



To tuwing benK when raging Siriiij bumi : 
S« half W sweedy winds the breen- along. 
Al iloo the murmur o! your pUasiit)^ syn^. 



round your seat the suein. .w. 
^nd scrambling he-goats on the mountain^ v 

DAMON. 

But haste, Alexis, reach yon leafy shade, 
Which mantling ivy round the oaks hath mai 
There we'll retire, and list the warbling note 
Tliat flows melodious from the blackbird's tl 
Your easy numbers shall his songs inspire, 
And every warbler join the general choir. 



PASTORAL II. 

NOON, 

CORTDON, TIMANTHES. 
CORTDON. 

-' »iis orb hath iraii 



To tby adtieea grateful eaj- I'll lend; 

The dtadca I'll court wberc Blender osii 

Our neenlioga young shall crop llie risuig f)D«w, 

While we retire to yoader tviaiag bower ; 

Tbe woods shnll echo back Iby checrrul strains, 

Admir'd by all our Caledonian sw^ns. 

niiere bave I oft with g«nlle Delia stray'd 
Amidst the embowering solilar; sbadi^ 
Hefore tbe guds to thwart my wiihes stnile, 
By bluting every pleasing glimpse of love : 
For DeliK winders o'er tbe Anglian pUIns, 
Where dril discord and sedition reigns. 
There Scotia'i sons in odiau* liglit appear, 
I Tbough we Tor Ihem haie vnty'd tbe boslile spear . 
I For them iny sire, cnwrnpp'd in curdled gore, 
I BrMlh'd hislastiDOiDCiits on a foreign sbore. 

Sii luiur inotitbs, my rriend, wil 

Add sbe return to crawn your fond dearft 

For ber, O ruck not your desponding m 

Jo IlebVs breast a generous fJnme's conSll*^ 

That burn5-4(r Corydon, whosK piping lay 

Uatb nus'd the tedious momenU 

Whose strains melodious moi'd the railing floods 

To whisper Delia lo the rising woods. 

O ! If yonr aigfas could aid the Hoaiing galea, 

"HiM &vourah1y swell their lofty sails, 

Ke'er Bbonlil your sobs their rapid fligbE give o'er. 

Till Delia*! preaence groc'd our norllicm (hare I 



While the weak feucco 

Will all my sheep and fattening Uuddk. 

TIMANTHES. 

Ah, hapless youth ! although the early 
Painted her semblance on thy youthful 
Though she with laurels twin'd thy tem 
And in thy ear distill'd the magic soun 
A cheerless poverty attends thy woes ; 
Your song melodious unrewarded flow 

CORYDON. 

Tliink not, Timanthes, that for wealtl 
Though all the Fates to make me poc 
Tay, bounding o'er his banks with a^ 
Boro all my corns and all ray flocks 
Of Jove's dread precepts did I e'er » 
E'er curse the rapid flood, or dashir 
Even now T sigh not for my formei 
T^ut wish the gods had destin'd De 



Bfiby plenteoui crops your irksome lilbnur crown ; 
May boodwiafc'd Fortun-e cease her eaiious frown ; 
May riches still iniraBso wiih grovting yean; 
Your flocks be numerous as your silver hairs. 



t, lo ! tb« heu iniites us at our t 
court the twining sbades dud cooling b1 
r languid joints we'll jieseoiibly recliaa, 
d 'midst the Sowers and opening blmsoais dine. 



PASTORAL HI. 

XIGHT. 



IVhiie yet grey twilight ilocs his empire 
Dri»e nil our heifers lo the psaceful told; 
Vilh sullied wing grim dirknets soars ulong. 
And larks to nightingalea resign the song : 
Tlie weary ploughmnn fli?s the waving Gelds, 

Td taste what fare his humble cottage yiiU 

As bees, that daily Ihnnigli llie Bieadows n 
Fved OD the sweets they have prepar'd iitl| 

Hie graiiy meads that srail'd serenely gay, 
Cbaei'd by thii ever-bumiug lamp of ilny. 
|n dusky hue attir'd, are cramp'i) with colds 
And springing flowerets «but thor Mimso& * 



Wide o'er the deep the fiery meteoi 



FLORELLUS. 



The west, yet ting'd with Sol's effu 
With feeble light illumes our home 
The glowing stars with keener lusti 
While round the earth their glowin 



AMTNTAS. 



What mighty power conducts the s 
Who bids these comets through ou 
Who wafts the lightning to the icy 
And through our regions bids the 



FLORELLUS. 



But say, what mightier power from n 
The earth, the sun, and all that fie 
Of distant stars, that gild the azur 
And through the void in settled o 



I By him the morning darts his purple 
To him the birdi theii early honuge pay ; 
Wilh Toca! harmony the meadows ring, 
WhilB swains in concert heaTBnly praucs sing. 



nan, Uie object of hU cbieTest care, 
Fowls he hnth fonn'd to ning the ambient air ; 
For him the sleer liis lusty n«ck doth bend ; 
Fishes for him their scaly Bus eitend. 



Wide o'er the orient sky the moon appears, 
A Toe to darkaesa and hia idle fears; 
Around her orfi ibe scarK in dusien shine, 
And diuant planets 'lend her sUier shrine. 



Htub'd are ihe busy aumbcn of the day; 
On dotmy couch they sleep their hour^ away. 
Hail, balmy sleep, that sdoiIie the troubled mind I 
Lock'd in tby arms our cares a refuge find. 
Oft do you tempt us irilb dclusiie dreams, 
Wlieii frildering fancy dnrts her dazsling beams : 
Asleep, Ihe lover with liis mistress strays 
Tbniu^ lonely Ihickela and untrodden ways ; 
But when pale Cynthia's- salite empire's ftei. 
And borcriij^ sluiDbers &hun tae tnoixan^^tcA, 
Btnu'd bflbt dawn, he wakes with {lei^iuiX &\a 
AadaU ha Baturing visions ciulcUj ftj- 



And pioaning echoes swell the noisf ti 
S^™.ght to our cottage let us be°dTu^ 

eL T'' ?"''*"' ~°''«* sleep's ^ 
Easy and calm upon our couch weaTf 

Whilesweetrevivingslumbeniroundow 



THE COMPLAINT. 

A PASTOBAl. 



Near the heart of a fair spreading grc 

A shepherd, repining at Jove, 
In angirish was heard to complain:- 

O Cupid ! thou wanton young boy ' 
Since, with, thy invisible dart ' 

Thou hast robbed a fond youth of his jo 
In return grant the wish of his hiJ^ 



TEKaoasoif^s fobms. 



Htm taj reed I liare carelessly broke ; 



13 melixl} 
DoregG 

n «ldoni 



liath xBnder'il beCore. 



O SteUa \ whose bemtljf so Tsir 
Eic«U rhe brighl splendour of day 

Ab ! have you no pity to share 
With DmnDii thus fiiU'n lo decay i 

Eiir fOu have I iiuittcd the plain ; 

FotsokeD my efaeep Eind my fold : 
For jou in duil Utiguor and pain 

My tedious momenw are lold. 

For you late my roies grown pole ; 
liej have fiided untimely awny ! 
And vriU not such beauty bewail 



Since your eyes atill reqoiie me w 

And kill with their merciless ii, , 
Like a itar at the dawning of morn, 



Some imin who cball niDurtifully go 
To whisper loic's sigh to the shade, I 

Wni haply some charity shew. 
And under the turf tee mu lEud 



He hath sigh'd all his sorrows away. 



THE DECAY OF FRIENDSHIP 

A FASTOKAL ELEGY. 

When Gold, man's sacred deity, did sitlilc 
IMy friends were plenty, and my sorrows 

]Mirth, love, and bumpers, did my hours hi 
And arrow'd Cupids round my slumber 

What shepherd then could boast more hapi 
My lot was envied by each humbler swa 

Each l)ard in smooth eulogium sung my pi 
And Damon listen'd to the guileful stra 

Flattery ! alluring as the Syren's lay. 
And as deceitful thy enchanting tongue, 

II ow have you taught ray wavering mind t 
Charm'd and attracted by the baneful soi 

My pleasant cottage, sheltered from the $;al( 



PERGUasoN JS 



To wake emottoDs in the^ youthful minil, 

Slreplion, wiih voice melodiouB, lun'd the tang; 

SBch sjlvui youth the «aundiDg choruE jwn'd, 
fraught with canteDimeDt 'midst Ihe f^vc 

My clustering grape compens'd their magic skill ; 

The buwl capacious sircird in purple tide, 
To tbepheids, liberal as tlie crystal rill 

SpoDlaiieoui gurgling from the i""""' 



Jlol^ all 7 these youthfii] Epartivc hai 
Xboe seems of jocund luinh are i 

Kabealing ilumben 'tend m; bumble bed 
No fKendi coodole the sorrows or * 



whll STail the thoughts of forni _ _ 

Wlnl comfort bring they in the adverse hour? 
C«i Uieyihecanker-wonnofcaredesti 
Or luighlen foitune's discoalcolcd lo 

e wlio bath long traver^'d the feitile ; 
Where nature in its fuircst vesture so 
■Wai be not cheerless view the furry soone, ', 
When lonely wandering o'er the barren llj 

]«0r now pale poverty, wiih haggard ej 
And TuefVil upcci, darts her gtoamr 

Mf wonted guests ihdr proHer'd aid di 
And IVoln the paths of Damon steal 




No more the warblers hail the in: 

To the lone corner of some distant 
In dreary devious pilgrimage 1*11 

And wander pensive, where deceit i 
Shall trace my footsteps with a vc 

There solitary saunter o'er the beacl 
And to the murmuring surge my 

There shall my voice in plaintive w; 
The hollow caverns to resound m 

Sweet are the waters to the parched 
Sweet are the blossoms to the wai 

Sweet to the shepherd sounds the lari 
But sweeter far is solitude to me. 

Adieu, ye fields, where I have fondl 
Ye swains, who once the favourite 

Farewell, ye sharers of my bounty's 
Ye sons of base ingratitude, adieu 



I Miglll the grandeur of ih eir hilli, 
all tti« B'°n'e> of the pendl hung, 
l»r truth ! within Ih' unhalloiT'd trails 
nerer whufier'd with her seraph toogae ? 

t aoght, if music's gentle lay 
^ been echoed by the sounding Jome ; 
I cBuDOt lootb their griefs' away, 
UDge a wretched to n hippy home ? 



M avtuls, if she incresse their care ? 



I Gckle, >bc disclaii 



my mosi-grown cot, 
more impartial eyes : 
:i my sober lot; 



paly larks shall cease (he matin song ; 
1 Eiolnnel at lught resigns ht^r lays; 
IKlting aumbors to the ont belong — 
I sball the reed be silent in thy praise- 

■wbo with the tide of fortune sails. 



Doth health "rewZr""' 
' ^"••"se enlarge their 

■Tfe not in ri,h^^j 

Denies her m,.^T^ ° "" 
"'=r entrance to his 

^Al'*' P""?' and honour . 
Vi^u^stt^s^-t^P'-ir; 



CONSClENCi 

•AN ELEGY, 

^o prick and SghS.!"'''^'t 
No choiring warblers flutter fn *u 



dreams eliall liOTer round bis bed, 
soul diall wing, on pleasing fancies borne, 
ing T^ilei where tlowcreU lifl tlieir he ' 
'd b; the bresthing septiy rs of the mc 

Mched be, whoea [bill rcprOBchrul deeds 

throu^auungrycuiiEcieacewoundbi' 

B loo oft ihe balmy comfort needs, 

jgb KtumbeF seldom Loowshim asherguefltifl 

1) the ragbag lumulu of bis soul, 
uried DBtuTc should an bour demand. 
Ibis bed the sheeled ^[lecircs buivl; 
Willi revenge the giinuing furies stand. 

lie DOT grAndeur can his peia May ; 
re shall be find a requiem lo his woes 'i 
cannot ehuse the frightful gloom away, 
music lull him lo a kind repose. 



uw'd by pomp, Qor I 



SAMOX TO HIS FKIE! 

billows cflife are suppreBlj 
■ tumults, its tails, disappear 
cllniiuish lliv storms Ihat arc 
l&ink on the suusbine that's I 



..^ ...u.>^ 1*1^ iiicjiusnip will pri 

Who never knew Damon befoi 

But those I renounce and abjure 
Who carried contempt in their 

May poverty still be their dower, 
That could look on misfortune 

Ye powers that weak mortals govc 
Keep pride at his bay from my 

O let me not haughtily learn 
To despise the few friends that 

For theirs was a feeling sincere ; 

*Twas free from delusion and a. 
O may I that friendship revere, 

And hold it yet dear to my heai 

By which was I ever forgot ? 

It was botli my physician and ci 
That still found the way to my cot 

Although I was wretched and p 

'Twas balm to my canker-tooth'd < 
The wound of affliction it honVr 



Bedeuk'd with Ihe beauiiis of Sprin 

ATDUnd, my flocks nibble and blt.'ai. 

While the muaiciil chorhttts sing. 



Mefloden both limpid BDd pui 

She's Ihe godde«9 tbat darkens m 
With tenibilii of ivy and viiif ; 

Sie tunas tny sbrubs and my flo 
Her lane is the Btandard of m 



What s pleas 

Ofcteesh) 

She hn laugl 



le apread o'l'r luy ground 
le grave larii to droop, 
to abed odours aiDund. 



For vhom has sbo pafuni'd i 

For whom liu she cltisttr'c 

I If fneodship deEpise my nlcoi 

Thej'U ne'er be teceusea ol 



K juices by Bicalibi I 



■ne, snd widi Oiunou retire 
nudn the greoti umbrage emU 
T<HU mirtb and your songs to inepi 

Stnll the juice or the vintage be poui'd 



RETIREME 



Come, Inspiration ! from thy 
To thy celestial voice attune 

5>mooth ghding strains in swei 
And aid my numbers with j 

Under a lonely spreading oak 
My head upon the daisied g 

J he evenmg sun beam'd forth 
The foliage bended to the he 

There gentle sleep my acting p, 
The city's distant hum was I 

Yet fancy suffer'd not the mind 
J^ver obedient to her wakefuJ 

She led me near a crystal founts 
Where undulating waters spo 

Where a young comely swain,\v 
in tender accents sung his syl 

" ^d^eu, ye baneful pleasures ol 



, je fields, ye fountiims, and jegi 

Te flowery meailona, and cilenave pkinBll 

bere touring warblers pour tlicir plaintive levta, 
£acb laodscapc cheering with Iheir vocal strains. 

rural beaut; rear? lier pleasing shrine; 
e on the ranrpn of Bash slrBsmlel glo« 
-e, iviLb the blooming hanlliorn, roecs 1 
And the /air UJj of the valiey grows. 



ere bU is innocence, and all is lone. 

vitb bei oLlve wand triumphaDt rcign^ 
during wcure the pqasniii's humble IhmIJ 
J is baniib'd frora llie happ; plgii 
jid defamation's busy langUD ii la 

illli Bnd cnnlcnlmenl usher in the 
nih jocund smiles they cheer the rural m 
whidi the peer, to pomiious tides horn, A 
Fonaken sighs, but all bis siglii^ arc tb~ 

fae calm cotnforta of so Das; mind 
jonder lonely cot delight (o dwell, 
leaie the fUBlesman for the labanring hind, 
Tlie legal palace for the lowly cell. 

_ wbo lo wisdom would devote your iiours, 

fiad fat from riot, far IVom discord stray ! 

back disdainful on (lie city's lotversi 

e folly, point the stippeij way, 



ODE TO HOPE. 

Hope ! lively cheerer of the mind. 
In lieu of real bliss design'd, 
Come from thy ever verdant bower 
To chase the dull $uad lingering hour : 
O ! bring, attending on thy reign, 
All thy ideal fairy train, 
To animate the lifeless clay, 
And bear my sorrows hence fiway. 

Hence, gloomy-featur'd black despair, 
With all thy frantic furies fly, 

Nor rend my breast with gnawing care, 
For Hope in lively garb is nigh. 

Let pining discontentment mourn ; 

Let dull -eyed melancholy grieve ; 
Since pleasing Hope must reign by tun 

And every bitter thought relieve. 

smiling Hope ! in adverse hour 

1 feel thy influencing power : 

rm u A.«TOMtnrr fnrtime fix mV lot 



ji attendant in iliy radiant traJD ; 

id her die whispering lephyra gentfy play ; I 

her gladly [ripping o'er the plain, 

[t'd with rural sweela and garlands gay ! 

vital a)HRtt Bie deprest, 
buTy languor elogs the braa^t ; 
mora ihmn K^ulapian power 
led, blesi'd Hope ! 'tis thine to cure 
ft Ihy friendly aid avails, 

all the MTci^lh of physic fails. 

n Ibou^ death should aim hh Aary 



It die (0 live agiun. 

1 of thee must banncn fall : 

1 living Hope is found, 
Ions about at danger's ualL. 
rictOTS ore triutnphant crown 'd. 

t, bright Hope ! in smiles array'd, 
lu by thy quickening brealh ; 

we never be afraid 
, Itirougli iliinger and through deallu 



AN ODE. 

Set to Music hy Mr Collet, 

O'FR Scotia's parched land the Naiads flew 
From towering hills explor'd her shelter . 

Caus'd Forth in wild meanders please the ^ 
And lift her waters to the zephyr s gales 

Where the glad swain surveys his fertile fi€ 
And reaps the plenty which his harvest yie 

Here did these lovely nymphs unseen 
Oft wander by the river's side, 

And oft unbind their tresses green, 
To bathe them in the fluid tide. 

Then to the shady grottos would retire, 
And sweetly echo to the warbUng choir ; 

Or to the rushing waters tune their shells, 
rr<^ ;:„ii «« TT'.r'lin from the woods. 



FBRGfSBOX 8 P0XM3, 



Now Lolhian and Fifan chores 

Resounding to the meTmoid's lORg. 
Gladly emit their Jimpid storen. 
And bid ibem Emaothlj soil aloDi; 



To guard Britannia from envious foes ; 
To new ber nngry vengeonce huri'd 
In Kwrul thunder round the ivorld, 

And irembling niuiDiii bending to her blows 



•ia^M 



To guard Britannia, &<:. 

Higb towering on Ihe lophyi , „ 

Swift Bf the Naiads fnim Furilis's sboreB, 

And to the Bouliiem airy mountaina bring 
TIicirswMl«nchsnlmentiind their inogic pom 

J^ikIi nymph her TiiVDurlte Hilloiv tnkiii : 
Tile eanb nlth r«erous tremOuT <hnk« ; 
The itaipnent lakes obey Iheir call ; 
StrcMDS o'ct Ihe glassy jissturea fidl. 



bergrc*n banks tlie tuiiRfuI shepherd lies: 
-^ - '<!*llhtliniiiuaicofhi5reed, 
iitBwarfngsoflheTvteed. 
.rDflePtingstremnslheri^et-njmjYis.s 




And to attend the easy graceful lay, 
Pan from Arcadia to Tweda cam 

Fond of the change, along the bank 
And sung, unmindful of th* Arcadi 

AiK— Tweed- side* 

I. 

Attend every fanciful swain, 
Whose notes softly flow from t 

With harmony guide the sweet s 
To sing of the beauties of Tw 

II. 

Where the music of woods and c 
In soothing sweet melody join 

To enliven your pastoral themes, 
And make human numbers di 

CHORUS. 

Ye warblers from the vocal grove, 
The tender woodland strain appro^ 
While Tweed in smoother cadence 



M8«e»«»tr'« rblBa. 



A* «Ue tloudt at early day 
Oft dim the shining skie^, 
r So gloomy ihoughts trente tiiimaj, 
And lustre leaves her eyes. 



Ye powen ! ate Scotia's vnplo ilcldi 
With to much beauly grac'd, 

To have Ihoae sweets ;OD.r bounly j-iclds 
By foreign foes defac'd ? 

IIL 
O Jtne i at whose supreme commind 

Tbe limpid fountuns pisy, 
O'er Gkledoaia's northern land 

Let reilleis waters stra;. 

IV, 
Since from the void freation rosci 

Tbou'st made a sacred vow^ 
TTutt Caledon to fonngn foes 



letnighly Thunderer on hie sapphire Ihrod 
mcrcy'i robe* atlic'd, heard tbe sncel vrf" 
'female woe, — soft as Ihe moving song 
? Philomela 'midst the evening shades ; 
id tbui reluni'd on ansncr to her prayeis J 

' Where biriis at Nature's call ariM 
Vriiere rragranct hails tlie vaulled ikie& || 
WboD my Dim ouk lis umhtase sprcad«^ 
l)«Ughtful 'aiid« the n-oody >hai1» i 



ihe choirmg songsters in tl 

^ w\^T/ "" "y^*^ fluids 
Which from surrounding 

The nver bathes its verdanf 
Lool o er the surf the bre< 

^"'s^H^^f^'' ^"^ ««°1 their 
Scotland may freely boast her' 

Her fishes sporting in the soh 

IJames, Humber. Severn, aU m 
To the pure streams of Forth, S 

CHORDS. 

«ames, Humber, &c. 

A ^°"'? ' "''"" ^^'h beaut. 
A mansion near «h» fl :_.• 



FBROUSSOn's poems. 29 

When gentle Phcebe's friendly light 
In silver radiance clothes the night, 
Still music's ever-varying strains 
Shall tell the lovers Cynthia reigns ; 
And woo them to her midnight bowers, 
Among the fragrant dew- clad flowers, 
Where every rock, and hill, and dale, 
With echoes greet the nightingale, 
Whose pleasing, soft, paihetic tongue, 
To kind condolence tunes the song ; 
And often wins the love-sick swain to stray, 
To hear the tender variegated lay. 
Through the dark woods of Forth, of Tweed, and 
Tay. 

Hail, native streams, and native groves ! 

Oosy caverns, green alcoves ! 

Retreats for Cytherea's reign, 

With all the graces in her train. 

Hail, Fancy ! thou whose ray so bright 

Dispels the glimmering taper's light ! 

Come in aerial vesture blue, 

£ver pleasing, ever new ; 

In these recesses deign to dwell 

With me in yonder moss-clad cell : 

Then shall my reed successful tune the lay. 
In numbers vvildly warbling as they stray 
Tbrou^ the glad banks of Forth, of Tweed, and 
Tay. 



THE 

TOWN AND COUNTRY C0NTRAS1 

IN AN EFISTLE TO A FRIEND. 

.^ROM noisy bustle, from contention free. 
Far from the busy town I careless loll ; 
NTot like swain Tityrus, or the bards of oU 
Under a beechen, venerable shade, 
J^ut on a furzy heath, where blooming br( 
And thorny whins the spacious plains adc 
Here health sits smiling on my youthful I 
For ere the sun beams forth his earliest i 
And all the east with yellow radiance crt 
Ere dame Aurora, from her purple bed, 
'Gins with her kindling blush to paint tl 
The soaring lark, morn's cheerful harbii 
And linnet joyful, fluttering from the bi 
Stretch their small throats in vocal melc 
'r*- i.oil the dawn, and drowsy sleep exb 



ratGUSSON 3 POSMV: 

There, gloomy rapoitn in our lenilh reign'd. 
And fill'd villi irksomi^ pcrtilence tiie air. 
There, lingering sickneis held his feeble i^nurt, 
Itcjolcing in (he havoc he hod modp ; 
And death, grim death 1 with all Iris gbsilly train, 
"Watch'd the broke ^inben of Edina'a sons. 
Hail, riMj health ! thou pleasing BDlidotc 
'GaioBl troubling cam ! oil hail, ibese rural fields, 
Tlioie winding rivulets, and verdanl shades, 
Wliere thoa, Ihc heaven-barn goddeu, deign'st (o 

dwell! 
With Ihee the hind, upon hie simple bm, 
IJvet cbeerTul, and from Heaven no more demand;. 
But oh ! how vast, how terrible the change 
With him whn night by night in sickness pineb J 
Him, nor his splendid equipage can please. 
Nor oil the pageantry the world can boast ; 
Naj, not Ihe oonsDlaiion of his {riends 
Can augfal avail i hia hours are angui^ ail ; 
Nor cease till eavioua death bath clos'd the »ene. 

But, Carlos, if we court this uiaid celesliol ; 
Whether tie through meandering fliers stray, 
Or midst Ihe dly's jamng noise remua ; 
Let tempenace, health's blithe concomitant. 
To otir iatirct and appetites f et bounds ; 
EIm^ cloy'd M last, we lairfeit i^cry joy ; 
Our ilariea'd nerves reject their wonted spring ; 
We IMP (be fruits of our unkindly lusts^ 
And filebly totter to llie silent grave. 



Are far estrang'd from human ueai 
Ah, Pity ! whither would'st tho 
From human heart, from human e^ 
Are desert woods, and twilight gro 
The scenes the sobbing pilgrim lov 
If there thou dwell'st, O Pity! say 
In what lone path you pensive stra 
I'll know thee by the lily's hue, 
Besprinkled with the morning's d< 
For thou wilt never blush to wear 
llie pallid look and falling tear. 

In broken cadence from thy tor 
Oft have we heard the mournful s 
Oft have we view'd the loaded bic 
Bedew'd with Pity's softest tear. 
Her sighs and tears were ne'er de 
When innocence and virtue died. 
But in this black and iron age^ 
Where Vice and all his demons n 
Though bells in solemn peals are 
Though dirge in mournful verse 
Soon will the vain parade be o'er 
Their name, their memory, be n 
Who love and innocence despis'd 



■n -> J 



irmoTlftls wotilJ but fond); priie 
Thj railing leais, ihy pasMng dgh»; 
Then should wsn poverlj no more 
W^!k Itebl; from ihe rich man's door; 
Humililf should vanquish prtde, 
And vice be drove &om viriue't sde : 
Then happiness at l?ngA should r«gB; 
The golden age begin again. 



COLD MONTH OP APRIL ITTU*^ 

OlBhoanho 



rs in *un have hail'd Ihe opening Spring. 
I tender acccnu woa'd Ihe blooming moid ; 
In vun have taught the April birds to wing 

Theii High t throng fields in terdonl bue anay 'd : 

The Itrose, in every eeaion taught to dng, 
Amidn the desert snows, by Fame's povets, 

Can elevated war, on placid wing, 

~a i-limei where Spring her kindest inflocnce 
showers. 

April, once famous for the zephjr mild ; 

For tweett thai early in the garden grow , 
S>}. how converted (o this cheerless ivild, 

Buihiog with lonenls of dissolving ar 






With crimson blush bepaint the 

But now the dawn creeps moumfi 

Shrouded in colours of a sable • 

So have I seen the fair, with laug 
And visage cheerful as the smil 

Alternate changing for the heavin 
Or frowning aspect of contcmpi 

Life ! what art thou ?— a variegat 
Of mingled light and shade, of 

A sea, where calms and storms pro 
A stream, where sweet and bitt 

Mute are the plains; the shepherd 
The reed*s forsaken, and the tei 

\Vhile echo, listening to the temp 
In silence wanders o*er the beet 

Winter, too potent for the solar ra; 

Bestrides the blast, ascends his i 
And views Britannia, subject to h 

Floating emergent on the frigid 



jtsbgusson's poems. 35 

rett winds temperate wave the flowing gale, 
4I hilla, and Yides, and woods, a venial aspect 
wear. 



THE SIMILE. 

30iitide^ as Colin and Sylvia lay 
thin a cool jessamine bower, 
tterfly, wak*d by the heat of the day, 
IS sipping the juice of each flower. 

the shade of this covert, a young shepherd boy 
« gaudy brisk flutterer spies, 
held it as pastime to seek and destroy 
dk beautiful insect that flies. 

I the lily he hunted this fly to the rose ; 
mn the rose to the lily again ; 
weary vrith tracing its motions, he chose 
I leave the pursuit with disdain. 

. CSolin to Sylvia smilingly said, 

nyntor has followed you long ; 

1 him, like the butterfly, still have you fled, 

MM^ woo*d by hb musical tongue. 

ire in persisting to start from his arms, 

It with his fond wishes comply ; 

i, take my advice ; or he*s paird with your 



ke the youth and the beautiful fly. 

Sylvia,-*Colin, thy simile's jusl^ 
It still to Amyntor I*m coy ; 



THE BUG 

Thou source of song sublime! 
Whose sacred fountain of imm 
Bedew'd the flowerets cull'd fc 
When he on Grecian plains the 
Of frogs and mice ; do thou, thri 
Of sportive pastime, lead a low] 
Her rites to join, while, with a 1 
She sings of reptiles yet in song 
Nor you, ye bards ! who oft hf 
And tun'd it to the movement ol 
In harmony divine, reproach the 
Which, though they wind not tl 

host 
Of bright creation, or on earth dc 
To hunt the murmuring cadence 
Through scenes where Nature, wi 
Hath lavish strew'd her gems of 
Yet, in the small existence of a g 
Or tiny bug, doth she, with equai 
If not transcending, stamp her w 
Only disclos'd to micrnc*"*— * - 



rEItCrSSOH 8 POEKTS, 

To aend her greeungs throngb the irBTuig voods ; 
Bui the raile ly, long brondisb'd by Ibe band 
Of daring innotalion, shaved the lavrns ; 
Then mil a thicket or a copse remaui*d 
f Tn Gigh in concert with the brwze of cvc. 
Ediu'a nuntianB with Ugimrian *rt 
Were pCed and Wonted. — Like an ark she seem'd 
To lie OD mountain's top, with shapes replete, 
ClsBD and unclean, that daily wander o'er 

To Jote Ibe Dryads pray'd, nor pray'd in vain, 
For Teageanceon her sons. — At aodnjghl drear 
Bla^ sliaiterK descend, and (eeming myriads Hsi^ 
Of bugs sbhorrent, nbo by instinct steal 
Tbrougfa the putrescent and CDrroEi'ie pores 
Of napless trees, that late in forest stood 
With all the majesty of Eummer crowo'd. 

By Jove's command diapers'd, they wander wide 
O'er all the «ily. — Some their cells prepare 
*Mid the lich trappangs and the gay attire 
Of ttnte luiurinnl, and are fbiid to press 
Ttie waring canopy't dejiending folds ; 
nh Dthen, dcsdn'd to an humbler fate, 
Ic iheller from the dwellings of the poor, 
Fljini; tbeir nightly mction to the bed 
OTlml'd mecfaanic, who, with folded arms. 
Enjoys Ibe comforts of asleep so sound, 
Tbat not th' alarming sting of glutting bug 
Tomurdenus deed can rouse bis brawny arm 
Upon the blood-swoln fiend, who basely steals 
I Ufe'a geniid current from his Ibrobhing seita. 
Happy were grandeur, could she triumph here, 
&Dd banish from her haJls each misery, 
I WUdi she must brook i n common witb the poor 
I Who beg Klbaslence from her sparing hands, 
y TbMI Wight the rirb, ta fell disease unknown, 

'n fond excess, nor cvor feul ^^^ 



. ^M>.uwc, man on co 
That meets ^olus with his gen 
When safely sheltered in the pes 

Is there a being breathes, how 
Too pitiful for Envy ? — she, wit 
And grinning madness, frowns t 
Of every species ; — from the hut 
That spurns the earth, and bends 
Through the profundity of space 
Down to the crawling bug's detes 

Thus the lover pines, that repti 
Should 'mid the lilies of fair Chic 
Implant the deep carnation, and e 
Those sweets which angel modest) 
From eyes profane. — Yet murmur 
Wlio gladly would be bugs for Ch 
For soon, alas ! the fluctuating gal 
Of earthly joy invert the happy see 
The breath of Spring may, with h( 
And warmth diffusive, give to nati 
Her brightest colours ;— but how s 
Till angry Eurus, from his petrid < 
Deform the year, and all these swe 

Even so befalls it to this creepin 
This envied commonwealth — ^ — 



FEIIGDSSOH S POEMS. 

hid their numbers from tlie prying da^* 
1 tbe; ^I, Bud gladly would redrc 
ifer arobuEh j bul his ruthless foot, 
■mel pressure ! cracks their Tilol springa, 
with their deep-djed scarlet smears the floor. 
Sweet PowcTK ! has pity in the female breast 
tender residence— no Wd abode — 
urge from murderous deed III' ovenpng hand 
'angry housemaid?— She-II ha.e blood for blood ! 
! the boiling streams from copper tube, 
her rage, sweep myriads id death. 

Fsonic cbast* Naiad, tiiat gives bitih lo floods, 

le f^graot vinues lioil Edino, fam'd 
n yellow limpid — whose chaste name the Muse 
ID culled 10 retail in song. 
I '. No longer they at midnight shade, 
Idi baneful sdng, shall seek the downy couch 
fslumbering mortals. — Not shall love-stck sH'oin, 
^^^eo, by the bubbling brook, iu fairy drean:i. 
Is nymph, but half reluctant to his wish, 
-gently folded in his engei arms, 

ant Ihe shaft envenam'd that disturis 
ng-loi'd lancies^ — Xor shall hungry bard, 
■ -d keen. 



the feast, he lanlalit' 
'Uh poisonous tortures, when Ibe cup, briiofull 
irple vintage, pirea him greater joy 
^1 the Heliconian streams that play 
And murmur round l'atna«sus. Now the wretch 
Oft doom'd to restless days and sleepless nights. 
By bugbear musdcDco thmll'd, enjoys on hour 
Of undislurb'd repose. — The miser, loo, 

ly brook his golden dreams, nor wake with fear 

tbhre* or kindred (for no snul he'll trust) 

htoke upon his chest, and strive lo steal 

idols of bis useless hQuis. 




He nsver knows at mom the busy 
Of scrubbing chambermaid. His 
Is ne'er obstructed with obnoxious 
By Oliphant prepared;— -too poisoi 
As fatal to this hated crawling trib 
As ball and powder to the sons of 



A SATURDAY S £XP££ 
IN MOCK HEROICS. 

Non mira, sed vera, ca 

At that sweet period of revolving 
"When Phoebus lingers not in The 
When twinkling stars their feeble 
And scarcely glinuner through th* 
Till Sol again his near approach p 
With ray purpureal, and the blusl 
Of fair Aurora, goddess of the da 
Leadini;; the winged coursers to tl; 



Wwk conclude, and ia carousal quaQ^ 
punch, rum. brani!;, and Geneva strong, 
ITS too oenous for ibe feeble purse. 



Ha! Kinghorn, oho! come straight ftt 
JIM not to obej the stem cominand, 
'i mfh tiuce la dreadful as the roar 
rfjphemus, 'oiid rebounding rocks, 
I overGomc by sage Ulysses* wiles. 

(Uit up jour Euls," llie angry skipper ci 

fore and oft the busy sc ' 



angled cordage.. 



-O'er 



u blows, nnd bugs out lufly sail:, 
ia obedience to the powerful breeie, 
^er the foaming main. Bad kiss the wave, 
o'er the convex surfuce of the flood 
ate we flj. Our foaming prow 
tha saline stream. On either side 
of yesty surge ililule aiince; 

the poop the waters gently flow, 
' ' for the time decays 
IS smoothly floating o'er the main. 
let the Muse in doleful numbers sing 
Ehl fate of those whose cruel Mars 
utta'd Ibem subject lo tlie languid ponera 
i; nckness. — Though with siomadi full 
' beef, of mutton in lis prime, ~ 

le dainties luiury <sn boast, 
Bve the elements. — yet the rocking bark, I 
legardlesa or their precious food, 
rd tlieir visage to the ghastly pale, 
lakes the sea partaker of the sweets 
licb they sumptuous far'd. — And this ll 



XUau. uc ouiu>i'w^.._ . 



To dangerous ferries, and to sicknesi 
And now at equal distance shews 
Gladly the tars the joyful task pursu 
Of gathering in the freight.-— Debati 
From counterfeited halfpence.— In t 
The seamen scrutinize and eager pe< 
Through every comer where Uieir w 
Suspects a lurking place, or dark ret 
To hide the timid corpse of some pc 
Whose scanty purse can scarce one j 
At length we, cheerful, land on ] 
Where sickness vanishes, and all th 
Attendant on the passage of Kingh 
Our pallid cheeks resume their ros) 
And empty stomachs keenly crave ) 
With eager step we reach'd the frie 
Nor did we think of beating our re 
Till every gnawing appetite was qi 
Eastward along the Fifan coast 
And here th* unwearied eye may f 
O'er all the tufted groves and poin 
With which the pleasant banks of F( 
Sweet navigable stream ! where co 
Where peace and jocund plenty sr 



ffS^^sSS'' 



FORMS. 



1 1 rugged den, where N»Iure's hand 
tiaa imiw'd the rocks, a dreadful care, 
■oncare ceilmg echoed to the floods 
riloir rauTTDurfi □□ the trembling rdiore, 
led our apprOBch. The rnvming porch 
f odes disclos'd, uid o'er the top 
'tendrils tivin'd the uncultur'd Tern. 
we |iry into the dreary vault, 
rilh age, and breathing noxious damps. 
leediiiig owls taaj unmolesied dwell 

^udlnatian leads them to revie'v 
itetc putrid ttroelk infeetiaus reign.' 
ptuming westward, we our course pursue 
le of Forthn's briny flood, 
:» the gradual rising dale 

M the vulgar rigti'posl, painted o'er 
'■ - > vile of man and hor»'. 

ST &alhing o'er the utishRpcly jug, 

r in, mnd tnsle what predous drops 

strangers' IhKWts, 
i'd upon the tedious way. 
filing here with sober can, 
n we plied, and nimbi; meoaureii s'er 
k the vales, and the eitendve plains, 

"stance from BuTDtialand's port 
Westward still we went 
ha feriT^baat we loll'd at ease : 
Iwe long on Neptune's empire float ; 
pe ten posting minutes were elapa'd 
"IgHQ on Urrajlrnta stood, 
tf'Laren'a inarcb'd, where roasted lamb, 
g lettuce, crown'd our social board. 

iaiiiuiudlifaui«Fn)iDKlnghoTn,flr|>poi- | 




To smiling mirth, we quii uic M-t-x-. 
And move progressive to Edina's v( 

Now still returning eve creep'd g 
And the bright sun, as weary of the 
Beam'd forth a languid occidental i 
Whose ruby-tinctur'd radiance faint 
Upon the airy clifis and distant spir 
That float on the horizon's utmost \ 
So we, with festive joints and lingei 
Mov'd slowly on, and did not read 
Till Phcebus had unyok'd his pran> 

Ye sons of Caledonia ! who deli 
With all the pomp and pageantry < 
To roll along in gilded affluence ; 
For one poor moment wean you 

these, 
And list this humble strain.— If v 
Could brave the angry waters ; b" 
By the first salutation to the mori 
Paid by the watchful cock ; or b( 
On foot to wander o'er the lonel; 
■ J*— o nr^iips: then '. 



Bflayiiouse I 



se feeling hesrU ai 



1 often 1 






I of iH^, and oft tent her dgha, 
•d Melpomene, in noe-fraught strains, 
ntnnee to the breast ; or often Emile 
lAiker Thnlia gaily tnps along 
of eDliveniDg miith — iiltend my song! 
1^ ! thou wliose ever-flaming light 
-letrale into die dark aliyss 
saad of belli O! witb tliyblaEiag torch 
■trfnl scene illnmine, that the Mube 
■ring pinioTU niiiy her flight pursue, 
Ih timidity ba known lu soar 

theatric world, to ubsos chang'd. 
M contempUle tboav deiierted scenes 
Ideiing desolation, and farhid 
Ce elegiac and the tailing tear ? 
rft from hoi to boi, ihe baEJiel piled 
tanget as radiant ts the EpIicrcE^ 
ilh Ihdr luscious virtues chorni the s 



lender well drench 'd, 

■voniinuuH KiTtrifis shnll chose away 

Mileiitlal fumes of vulgar cits, 

n impctieocc for the curudn's nse, 

' iba lingsring momenls. Bod npp^vei . 

ixocluog porter to Iheii pucbed^VL^J 



Ut stern Kiug xvicii<u\«, »w «~«. 

Of crawling spiders and detested i 
Who in the lonely creyices reside. 
Or gender in the beams that have 
Gods, demi-gods, and all the joyoi 
Of thunderers in the galleries abo' 

O Shakespeare ! where are all th 
Thy fawning courtiers, and thy w 
Where all thy fairies, spirits, witd 
That here have gamboU'd in nocti 
Round the lone oak, or sunk in f 
From the shrill summons of the c 
Where now tlie temples, palaces, t 
Where now the groves that ever ^ 
Where now the streams that neve 
Where now the clouds, the rair 

winds, 
The thunders, lightnings, and the 

Here shepherds, lolling in the! 
In dull recitativo often sung 
Their loves, accompanied with cL 
From horns, from trumpets, clan 
From violinos sharp, or droning 
Or the brisk tinkling of a harpsi< 

Such is thy power, O music ! 



FXAGUS son's poems. 



I 

■ps (^wdience to the life 

Ktrale fell, aU fuming 

Pbt etxudes of passing jo;. 

9wbo oft wander, by the lilver light 

utflT Luna, to the churchyard's gloonif 

:yprees sbades ; if chance should guide jrom 

his aad mansioni think not that you tread 
snsecrated paths ; for on this ground 
EboIyitreanisbeenpaur'd,andBoiv'relsstrew'di 
le nuuiy a kingly diadem, I ween, 
jmiee* here entomb'd, with Leaps of coin 
Uric mint ,■— offcncolea gold ! 
M persuasion in its hue, 
Jt mankind in their evil ways. 
■Inrgtfaen'd series of yean, 
^e unhallow'd spade shBll discotaposc 
a of earth, then relics ihall be found, 
tr for gems of worth, or Roman coins^ 
Lj obtrode OD artdquarj^s eye. 
g blades! regard this ruin'd fane, 
jHtfiy come within tho^c naked walli 
■ Ifae Ingic tear. Full muny a drop 

slioti hove you suck'd 
m ibaDiatlc sources. Oh ] look here 
■til rooSeiB and tocsaken 




npensiv 



y noble e 



legiDi 



ind 



i conveys, where odoriferous gales, 

jc groves, and lov<^ -inspiring wine, 
lltepaid his toil; if earthquake dire, 
'ng* and convulsive pangs, 
nl, and all those beauties f<4l'd; 
Brcft-ain to shed the grateful drop, 
u jusilir due [iliough seldom paid) 
" n memory of happier umes Z 



O NATURE, parent goddess ! at th; 
Prone to the earth, the Muse, in I 
Thy aid implores : nor will she w 
Till thou, bright form ! in thy eflfi 
Deign'st to look down upon her 1 
And shed thy powerful injQuence 

Come, tlien, regardless of vain 
Of all those vile enormities of sha 
'JTiat crowd the world ; and with 
Wisdom, in sober contemplation c 
To lash those bold usurpers from 

On that gay spot, where the Pa 
To fools the stealing hand of time 
Fashion her empire holds ; a godc 
View her, amidst the miUinerian t 
On a resplendent throne exalted h 
Strangely diversified with gewgaw 
Her busy hand glides pleasurably 
The darling novelties, the trinkets 
That greet the sight of the admirii 
Whose dear-bought treasures o'er 
Contagious spread, infect the whol 
That cherish 'd vigour in Britannic 



, in obeillence lo the lifiileE^ liong. 

H pnKtrsle fell, all fiutKing died nu'iiy 

I uleiit eistnsiGB of paising- joy. 

c, »ho oft wander, b; tba silver tight 
ister LunB, to the churchjard's gloom, 

r cypreH aliades; if cbaiaCB should guide n 

I tba sad mansion, think not ihat )rou trn 

cnted pai)u; tur on this ground 
nebolyMieani s been pou r'd, and flaw' retsK 
iQe man; ■ kingly diBdem, I ween, 
« meleu here entomb'd, wjih beopa of n 
n^'din theatric mint; — offencelesB gold !| 
It cBiried noL persuasion in its hi 
taxia mankind in their evil ways 
ler a leogthen'd series of ;ean, 
len Ae unballow'd ttpade shall discornpose 
i( mast of orth, then relics shall \k found. 
licb, or for gems of wortfa, or Roman coins, 
M may obtrude on antiquary's eye. 
spoudog blades '. regard this ruin'd fane, 
d nightly come n-ithin those naked* n^s 
shed the tragic tear. Full many a drop 
precious inspiration have you suck'd 

hh its dramslic sources. Oh ', look here 

pon this roofless and forsaiken pile, 
' ttalk in pensive sorrow o'er the ground ■ 
Ts you've beheld so mai); noble seem 
noi, when the mariner to foreign dim 



bnfcn 



IS gales. 



oiwige groves, itnd tove-inspiting >v 
a aft repaid bis toil; if earthquake dire, 
t boDow groanings and convuhdve pangs, 
gnnmd hath rent, and all those beauties foil'd 
I be tefiBin to shed the grateful drop, 
tAtite justly due (though seldom paid) 
the blest memory of happier times? 



xiie xvuman ardour checkM; t 

cay'd ; 
And all their glory scattered to tl 
Tremble, O Albion 1 for the v 
Seems ready to decree thy speedy 
By pride, by luxury, what fatal il 
Unheeded, have approach 'd thy n 
How many foreign weeds their h" 
In thy fair garden ! Hasten, ere 1 
And baneful vegetation taint the ; 
To root out rank disease, which sc 
If no blessM antidote will purge £ 
Fashion*s proud minions from oui 



A BURLESQUE ELE 

ON THE AMPUTATION OF A STUD! 
BEFORE HIS ORDERS. 

O SAD catastrophe ! event most dir 
How shall the ln«c ♦»!« ' ' 



FERGUSSOU S P0EM8, 

AIbs, poor Screpbon '. u> the slEm decre 
Which pninea your trcsws, are j'ou 



No" let tfae KiJctaa souadu of moii 

And wake lad ecluwB lo pralong the lay ; 

Far, bark ■ methinks 1 hear the tragic ktioll ; 
Thii bout bespeaks the barber an big way. 

O ronu ! yet th; poignant edge suspend ; 

O yet indulge me with a short delay ; 
Till I once more pourtray my youlhftil friend. 

Ere liii proud locks are scatter'd on the clay ; — 

Ere the huge wig, in formal curls array'd. 

With pulril pregnant, shall o'er^ode Iiis t'oce ; 
Or, like the wide umbrelln, lend its aid 

To baiush lustre from tlie sacred place- 
Mourn, O ye lephyrs 1 Tor, alas I no more 

His wBTing riuglets iball your call obey ! 
For, oil '. the ilubbom wig mutt now be wore. 

Since Birepbon'i locks are scaller'd on the clay. 

Atnanda, too, in bitter anguish sighs. 
And grieves ibe melatnorpfi09i<i lu see. 

Houm nol, Amanda, for the hair that lies 
Dtad on llie ground diall be rcdv'd for thee. 



iaeoe skaAU anisl of a Pre: 
With grocefiil ringlets >>li 

Lnd cull the precious relics 
Wlitch yei may Uutter in 



WRITTEN AT THE HERMITAGE OP 3 
EDINBURGH. 

Would you relish a rural retreat 
Or the pleasure the groves car 

The city's allurements forget ?— 
To this spot of enchantment r 

Where a valley, and crystalline I 
Whose current glides sweetly 

Give nature a fanciful look, 
The beautiful woodlands amo 

Behold the umbrageous trees 
A covert of verdure have spre 

Where shepherds may loll at th« 
And pipe to the musical shad 

For, lo ! through each op'ning i 
In concert with waters below, 

The voice of a musical bird, 
Whose numbers melodiously 

The bushes and arbours so gree 



FERGUSSON S POEMS. 



TuosE rigid jiedagogues and foolii. 
Who walk by self-invented rules, 
Do ofbeD try, wiib empty iiead, 
The eoiptier motlsls to mislead. 
And Ikiu would urge that none but Ihcy 
Could rigbtly (eacb tbe A, B, C ; 
On irfatdi they've got Bn endless commi 
To triBJDg minds of migbty njoment, 
Throwing such barriers in the way 
Of IhoH who genius display, 
As often, ab ! too often teaze 
miem out of patience, nnd of fees, 
Befcre they're able to eiplude 
Obaructiona thrown on lenrnlng's roaif 
Mbj mankind aU employ thcit look 
To buiith pedantry from schools ! 
And may each pedagogm 
By liBlfniag to this simpi 



Wbe Mr Biccb hnd long intende 
Tbe alphabet should be nmended, 
And taught that H a breathing ws! 
Ergo, he saw no proper cauw. 
Why uich a letter should e> ist : 
Tbtu in a breath was he dlsrniss'd. 
With, '• O bcivare. bewnrc. O yoiK 
Clke not the villaio in your muutli 



Isle! 



Aias, the meat was deadly cold ! 
Here take and h— eat it, says the 
Quoth Tom, that shall be done, f 
And few there are who will dispi 
But he went instantly about it ; 
For Birch had scom'd the H to : 
And blew him with a puff away. 
The bell was rung with dread 
" Bring me the mutton— Is it wj 
f ** Sir, you desir'd, and I have eat 
" You lie, my orders were to heai 
Quoth Tom, I'll readily allow 
That H is but a breathing now. 



/ 



THE PEASANT, THE HE! 
YOUNG DUCKS. 

A FABLE. 

A HEN, of all the dunghill crew 
The fairest, stateliest to view, 



I. 






■"Id D»t. .1 """met Von. . 
^ .'Wb not for =„ .1 "' ''^"n. 

Ji:"i«»'i,b,i?fr'""«. 









lo sense oi outers wues aebi 
Act only from a selfish view, 
Nor give the aid to pity due. 



SONG. 

Where winding Forth adon 

Fond Strephon, once a sh( 
Did to the rocks his lot bew; 

And thus addrest his plaii 
" O Julia ! more than lily f 

More blooming than the I 
How can thy breast, relentlc 

A heart more cold than w 

Yet nipping winter's keenes 
But for a short-lived spac 



From the ance pltasiDg rural throng 

Remoy'd, be'it Ihrough the desert fitrA}r,«l 

Where rbUnnela's mouinrul song 
Sball jun liis uelancliD); lay." 



AHmst a rosy bant of flowers, 

Duncm, fbrlom, dcpldr'd bis fsle ; 

In aghs he spent his languid hours, 
And breath'd his noes in doleful ilal 

No more sbalt gEiety cheer hia mind ; 

No vanUiu jporu can Boolh his care ; 
Since meet Amunda prov'd unkind, 

And left him nUl of black despair. 

IIU looks, that «ere as &esh as mom, 
Can noir no Jonger Biniles impart ; 

Hi« pensive soul, on sBdnnsbomE, 
Is radc'd and torn by Cu|ud's dart. 

Tum, fair Amsoda ! cheer your swain ; 

tFnalirDud him from his veil of woe : 

Turn, gentle nymph ! and ease the pair 

That in his torlur'd Lreast dotli grow 



EXTEMPOR&, 



On itine atke<t which if three SUlert 
— Btaulifvl. 

^Mtn iliTB gtre his voice, iu Ida's gtO<i«r 

- -•-- MuiJess X'eiius, queen oflove. 



■•"• """• we apple had been 




ON SEEING A LADY PAIJ 

When, by some misadventu, 

C~rf.'f h- " '"'*^ ^' fortune 
Credit h« ,„s,ant need suppi 

And for a moment blinds ou 
So Delia, when her beautyl 
IndVr " '~"°'" ""'her c 
By Dut^"" «» """P^ detect 
»y puttmg on a false comple: 



THTOTjaSOK S POEMS, 



MK THOMAS 

Alas, poor Tom ! how oil with merry heart 
Have we beheld thee play the seitoo's part ! 

Each comic beHit must 

'b dreary psr[ 




Tb nxRimruI mcai 

Delight of the miuesr 

[ Te grottos mid dripping i 

Ho ■trangera to Corydi 



p 



i 



Lid ™a.r M- «"'" "" "^laH 

* HI. «.a •"• ■» '""«•' ""i^r*^ 

lis numbcra no longer can pl«™»J. " 
Or KMiil kln'l '^*^ '^ *" 

Bn. Ions "■» ""I Ttlhd/iif' 
To hiUs lell the wle of "^oir w» , 

Fo,.h«o«~'l«l»~»°'.;i'°"' 
Tlio sacred retreaU ol 



rould ri 



'"AT.™»nf»BgM«S''~'- 
Her cone wHl diKoloor'd appear, 

Wid,r.~aMr»el"''.'Xir 

"rifi-cXKri-ri-J... 



FBItttUBSOir's W»eMSL 



Let beauty and yirtue revere. 

And the songs of the shepherd approve, 
Who felt, who lamented Uie snare, 

When repining at pitiless lore. 

The Summer but languicJly glenms ; 



Thejr'Te fled all with CoiTdan's muse, 
For his brows lo roim chuplets of woe ] 

Whose reed aft awaken'd their boughs, 
As the whispering breeeeB that blow. 

To many a bociful spring 

Hift lyre was melodiously strung ^ 

While fiuriei and TouDS, in a ring, 

Have applauded the twain as he sung. 

To Ibe cheerful he usher'd his smiles j 
To the wofiil, his sigh slid his tear ; 

A condoler with want and her toils, 
When the voice of oppression was nen 

Though titles and wealth were his due j 
Though fortune denied his rewaril ; 

Tel tiutb and sincettt; knew 

What the goddess would never regard. ^ 

Anila aught the generous heart. 
Which nature to goodness design 

If fortune denies to impBtt 
H« kindly relief to the minU? 



I If fortune St 
H« ktndl 



Let the favour a oi lonuuc aMcuu 
To the ails of the wretched and 

Though Corydon's lays could befri 
'Tb riches alone that can cure. 

But they to compassion are dumb ; 

To pity, their voices unknown ; 
Near sorrow they never can come. 

Till misfortune has mark*d then 

Now the shades of the evening de] 
Each warbler is luU'd on the sp 

The cypress doth ruefully bend 
Where reposes the shepherd's c 

Adieu, then, the songs of the swai 
Let peace still attend on his sh( 

And his pipe, that is dumb to his 
In the grave be with Corydon 1 



THE DELIGHTS OF VIS 



FERGUSSOJ* S POEMS. 



lose, exaltal b; thj sscrcd power, 
tbe green mountain's airy mmniit flevr, 
I'd wicb the thoughlfiil sdllnaEB of mn hoof, 
ti uibo'd beanuDg Taney to her view. 

m old NeptuDC's fiujd man^on sprua| 
in, reviver of each drooping flower; 
Fpnwch, the lurk, with matin Eonjt 
f H of gratitude confera'd his poirer, 

: fkir virtue, shedding light divine 

»e who wish to profit (ly her ivsysi 

■r at parting with their vice repine, 

taste ll)G comforts of her blissful rays. 

ilh fmb hopes each sorrow can beguile ; 
[ diflsipale advenitj's deep glootn ; 
mmgre poverty contented unite ; 
1 ibe sad wretch forget his haplen daotn. 

a dian shady ^vee in Summer's prided 
B Sowery dales or grnssy meads, is she j 
itful OB the honey'd btreams that glide 
n flie rich labours of the busy bee. 

■th> and alleys are far ever green : — 
re CBDOceoce, in snowy robes array' J, 
itules of pure content, ishail'd the queen 
I happy mistress of the tacred shade. 

lo transient gleam of earthly joy 

n virtue lure your labouring steps odde; 

Dtant grandeur hiture hopes annoy 

\\ tboughis that spring from inst>l«ac« ui 



I 
I 



So much can guilt the loveliei 
We loathe that beauty whic 

How fair are virtue's buds, wl 
Or in the desert wild, or ga 

Her flowers how sacred, when 
Unknown to killing canker 



A TAVERN EI 



Fled are the moments of delu 
The fancied pleasure ! parac 

Hush'd are the clamours that . 
From generous floods of sou 

Still night and silence now sue 
The erring tides of passion r 

But all is peaceful as the ocear 
When breezeless waters kiss 

Here stood the juice, whose care 



[ 



FERGDSSON S 



V the delight of momen 

unguarded tongues diei 

And idlh a mirtbrul, a melodioui 

'd llie fell voice of discord ic 



'r4>^^ 



And Hid excess against the soul combine. 

What etas have not frenzied mortals done 
By wioe, that ignis falmis oTihe mind ', 

How many by its force to vice are won. 
Since first ordain'd lo isnlalize mankind ! 

By Bacchus' power, jewns of riot! Sflv. 

How man; HBIchful sentinels have bled ? 
How many travellerB liave lost their way, 

By lamps unguidcd ibrough tlie evening shade ! 

O q«re those fripndiy Cwlnklers of ihc night < 
Let no rude cane their hsJInvr'd or[i^ atsail < 

For cimstdice ulone condemns ihe liglil 

HiU diewt her cuunlenance aghast and pale. 

Kdw Ifae short taper warns me to depart 

Ere darkness shall assume Lis drevj sway ; 

En Kditude foil heavy on my henri, 
That lingen for the far approach of day. 

Vho would not welcome the less dreaded dooin, 

To bo for ever number'd with the dead, 
Bather than bear tbe miserBble gloom, 

,bU Jik comforts, all hie &ieiidB, 3 



GOOD E 

Hear, O ye host of Epic 

Each portly form, whose . 

Can well denote the all-tr 

That springs unbounded f 

Of rich repast; to you I c 

ihe song adventurous; hi 

Can cook the numbers to 

Or send but half the relish 

That smoking sirloins to y 

Hence now, ye starveli 

sides 

Oft echo to the hollow-mu: 
Of hunger fell.— Avaunt, ^ 
Whose fates unkind ne'er c 
The banquet rare, or wage 
With the deUcious morsels . 

T^oyoulsingnot:— for,aI 
What tantalizing tortures w. 

To aid the force of famine's 



I Or lepbyr's wiag, tW from the i ^, ^ 

I Snubea the breeie iriUi rich peHumes replete, 
'More uramUJc or retiiiug smell 

I BOElrils bring ? Or can tbo glaisy streams 

' Pactdlui, that o'er his golden sands 
Dtligbtful glide, tbc lu»dous drops outvie 
Thit from thy sides embravm'd unnumber'd falJ ? 
. . Behold, at tbj approach, what smiles serene 

" n from the nvish'd guests ! — Sljll aiv their 

tongues. 

While tbey, wiib whetted instruments, prepare 
For deep indsioo. — Now ihe abscesi bleeds, 
And the devonriiig band, with stomaclis keen, 
And glutting rage, Ihy beauteous form deslro;; 
Leave jaa a skeleion marrowleEi and bare, • 
A pre; to dunghills, or vciatious sporl 
Of lotreot rushing from defilement's urns. 
That o'er Ibe dly's flinty poveroen! hurls. 

So fares it witli the man, whose poweifui pelf 
Once conld command respect. Coress'd by all, 
His bounties were th lavish as the hand 
or yellow Ceies. till bii stores decay'd ; 
And then, (O dismal 1a!e^) tbcqe precious drops 
Of flaReiy thai bedevr'd his spring of fortune, 
-ie sod winler of his state 50 fallen, 
sethe thorn from which they ne^er can hope 
Agsis lo pluck the odour-dropping rose ', 

ForthM, noBst Beef! in variegated shapes. 
Hate mortals (oil'd. — The sailor sternly braves 
The itreagth of Boreas, and exulting stands 
UpSn the ua-wBsh'd deck. With hopes inspir'd 
Myet indulging in thy wish'd-ror sweets 
He smiles amidst the dangers liial surround him ; 
Chesiful he steers to cold forbidden climes, 
Br to the torrid lone explores his way. 

Be kind, ye Powers ! and sliU propitious send 
This parsgon of fecdiog to our halls. 



But for a roomem s pieas"—, — - 
A Uferime that would else be spent 
For hateful loathings, and for gout 
Ever preceded by indulged excess? 
Blest be those waUs where hosp. 

And welcome reign at large '. Tber 
Sf social cheer partake, and loy^^ 

Pleasures that to the human mmd 
fderpictures of the bliss supreme 
But near the gate where pa^mon 
mere ceremony cool, w.th brow . 
Confronts the guests, ne'er kttb5 
Depriv-dofthee, heaven-born bei 
What is Ufe's garden but a deviou 
Through which the traveller must 
Unguided by the aid of friendship 

To the lone garret's lofty b.eW «^ 

Or dive to some sad cell :--there 

To meagre offals, where, though 

Freedom shall wing thee to a pui 

Tl.an banquets with superfluous . 

Mix'd with reserve and coolness, 

But, if your better fortunes h, 

:*u ^.t/*afe ana Wltb I 



iy the grassy hill, or dimpled brook, 
betite reTive, should often siray 
[nfaur-Seat's green pastures, to the town 
iKpheailB mid bone-bridges faio'd oTyore, 
B OUT country's nnnals stands yclept 
luddingstonia, where you may be blesB'd 
ItDple fitra and vegcuble sweets, 
bom the claicotirg of the busy world. 

■ for recreatiDn you should stray 
hhian ibme, aad breathe tbe keener air 
tfram Neptune's empire o-F the uiaiD ; 
Bite invilCj and cash prevail, 

■ your joints upon the homeward track, 
U>BOD, chieTest of the Scottish hosts! 
ple-fboled waiters giee cummatid 

10 lay. — Instinctively tbey come; 
'le nble, wrapt in cloudy steams, 
h the waght of tlie trnnsportiog fare 
' is frankincense on the guests around. 
le stem Winter holds his (Vigid sway, 
la period spins the closing yearj 



I 



stiTitIs alKiun 






I iDUmpenmce, destructive fiend ! 
Ilnmce to your halls. — Despoil'd by him, , 
□yed appetite, forerunner sad I 

K duease, iateterste clasp your ftsnic , i 

Hunt slull no more be kikown to spread | 
hibwings routid tby once happy dwelling, . 
of Ihought, and racking pain, 
[e you headlong to the dark abyss. 



Ye maidens modest ! on whc 
Hath weaning chastity her w 
Who constant labour o'er cor. 
At midnight knell, to wash s 
From closing eyelids, with th' 
Of Tea's bless'd juices ; list t 
That come not, with Pamassi 
To dwell in murmurs o'er yoi 
But, fresh from Orient blown 
Your lethargy ; that dormant 
May pierce the waving mantu: 
For many a dame, in chambei 
Hath this reviving liquor call'c 
And well it did, to mitigate th 
Of anger, reddening on Lucin 
With flash malignant, that had 
If she at masquerade, or play, 
Appear'd not in her newest, be 
But Venus, goddess of the eter 
Knowing that stormy brows bu 
Fair patterns of her beauty, hal 
Celestial Tea ; — a fountain that 
The ills of passion, and can fre 
And sobs, and sighs, the disaoi 



"«»«.„„•. ,,^- 



Wllh (ram. . '•OffSs. 

™"aw comes, ber j.^.^'" * "^c-ce ; 

» "Hf Wan jii^.^ I' ro 

""ul monster p„ . "'^ 'oois 



""e. 



From China's coast to Dncaiu & cu 
Fraught with the fruits and herbag 
In them, whatever vegetable spring 
How loallisome and corrupted, trii 
The bane of life, of health the sure 
Yet, yet we swallow, and extol the 
Though nervous ails should spring 

qualms 
Our senses and our appetites destn 
Look round, ye sippers of the p< 
From foreign plant distill'd ! No i 
That nature, sparing of her sacred 
Hath doom'd vou in a wilderness 

m 

While round Britannia's streams s 
Green sage and wild thyme, 1 

decreed, 
As plants of Britain, to regale hei 
With native moisture, more refres' 
And more profuse of health and i 
Than all the stems that India can 



b 



WMMOvnov a pobks. 



THE SOW OP PEELINi 



nrlHllng! 



to lAe Prince itf T\ 



elB ! do ye still combine 
, H'urd, dreary life of mine ? 
!■■ inlflcu oppression — cruel cose t — 
Imn'd sale pod^ession of the human race ? 
ly oniel handi Lbi every virtue bled, 
md iunoceDCe from men (o lultures fled? 
Thrice happj' bud I Itv'il in Jenisb time, 
Fbeit swallowing pork or pig was deeni'd a crime ; 
fj husbnnd lang had bleui^d my longing arms, 
!«iig, long had known loic's sympathetic chaims I 
tj chOdreo, too, — a little suckling race. 
^ilh all Iheir father growing in ibeit face,— 
ir prolific dam had ne'er been lorn, 
for to (be bloody sails of butchers borne. 

Ah, luiory ! lo you my being owes 
' load of miser; — its load of woes ! 

h hnty heart I saunter all the day; 
Jrunlle and munnur all my hours away ! 
I TOD I try (□ sunmnon old dnire 
^^d&TOnrile sports — for wallowing in the mire: 
loughts of my huihand, of my children, slain, 
^^Wn all my wonted p!ea5iire into paiu ! 
low of\ did we. in PhiEbus' warmioi; ray, 
laik on the humid softness of the ciny I 
ttt did his lusty licud defend my tail 
^mnithe rude whispers of (he angry gale; 



"VVTiile tender infants on on 

A flame divine in either sh< 

In riper hours, love's more 

Enkindled all his passion, j 

No deadly, sinful passion fi 

Virtue o'er all his actions g 

That cherub which attracts 

And makes them soonest w; 

Attracted mine ; — I gave hi 

In the recesses of a verdant 

'Twas there I listen'd to his 

Amidst the pendant meland 

*Twas there my trusty lover 

A shower of acorns from th( 

And from the teeming earth, 

The roots salubrious with hi; 

But, happiness ! a floating 

That still inconstant art to ir 

Left'st us in gloomiest horro 

Near by the deep-dy'd sangu 

Where whetting steel prepares 

With greater ease to take the 

Of cows, and calves, and sheej 

The bite of bull-doffs. that in 



7ERGUSS0H 3 POEMS. 

touTDfuI voice, the music of his groans. 
nelted anj bearta — but huirls of Blonea ' 
Id untie angel at that ioatant come, 
,me four nimble Gngeni und a Ujumb, 
lood-Main'd blaile I'd Imn'd upon hiB foe, 

the shades below^ 
h or Pylhagoras" opinion jests, 

' "lutchera — -butchers changed 

el; in eu'ly limes the Ian decreed, 

food few quadrupeds should bleed ; I 
QUI man, still erring from the laws, 
idof heOTGii upon bis banquet draws! 
has he drdn'd the marshes dry 
Iga, new victiihs of his luiur;; 

"' toad and liiard may come home, 



Toracioiw paunch to lind a I 
Ua, and mice, their destiny 






I fB aliunberers on the peaceful shore, 
lltM are one unvariej^ated calm 

aandofslolhi And hear, O nymph! 

yeleped Pleasure ; from your tbi 
' heavenly tadiBot beam. 



transmit her n,V.Sr " 

Now, when ,h '""■^ 

/^"d solemn sound,W 

^"f/'e'vthewonde* 

Sterr-f'- 

««ga/ns ht'stt ^r '■ 

To wake new J,„ ^"' 

And now L P""'' ' 

Gives Jife andT "' '"'«■ 

>.e'-wordii«^'' 



^^^^^^^H 


^l^^^^^^^^^^^l^^^^^^l 


tehgusson's poems. 'T ^^H 


re tbeoons that hem Britannia round ^^| 




e Che shores, ^^^B 


ike their drooping pend 


ants hail her uneen ^^M 


•baa of the globe^The; guard our beds, ^^^ 




repose, ^^H 






bead, 




se bright blades 


wer dimm'd or alain'd 


with hostile blood, 


r hang dangling on JO 


r feeble thigh, 


brough the MaU or Pd 




u^ the drawing-room 


on tiptoe steal. 




laid along. 


in of Neptune, wlioae 


Id ivrinUed brow 


sr'd Ibe ratcUng ihund 


r, tells Ifis tale 


tBtgen, «eges, and of battles dire, | 


Je they, ns fortune favours 


greet with smiles, | 




cslgh, 1 


l&e capridous fickle godde 


E3f«)«ns. _J 


B bow mutable are the j 


oysoflife' H 


^■Baares,ah! haw few ! — 


Nuw smile the skies ^^M 


Kpwmlld;andnawl 


G thunders bliake, ^^M 


Klfaerȣanceoflbebe 


Hveiis deflower. ^^M 


H^ tBB small op'Qing of the malnMil broad, ^^ 


Boreas steals, and tears h 


n from the yard, 1 


ere long and tasting lie ba. 


play'dhispan! 1 


Hiffers Tirtue. When in h 


er fair form 1 


■ snillert flaw is found, the wboto decays. | 


she may implore with 


piteous eye, ^H 




la the blast: ^^M 


uSoa mum'd finds no 


^^H 


■111, die ghtstly mona 


ch, shuts the Bcene, ^^M 


abwwBgainthoMfly.ohosemidmgbl light. ^ 


ital irirgins' offerings undecay'd, 1 


faien bewildCT'd acts the part J 




bo^ that err 1 


aaiywdiwww their d«ti<v-dvo>^ | 



Were an uncomiuiLaut%^ ...... j 

No guidance, then, would bless the steen 
No resting-place would crown the mar 
When he to distant gales his canvass s] 
To search new wonders.^Here the vei 
Teem with new freshness, and regale ( 
With caves, that ancient time, in days 
Sequester'd for the haunt of Druid loc 
There to remain in solitary cell, 
Beyond the power of mortals to disjoii 
PVom holy meditation.— Happy now 
To cast our eyes around from shore t( 
While by the oozy caverns on the bea 
We wander wild, and listen to the ro£ 
Of billows murmuring with incessant 
And now, by fancy led, we wandei 
Where o'er the rugged steep the buri 
Remote lie anchor'd in their parent u 
Where a few fading willows point th< 
Of man's decay. Ah, Death ! when 
Whether we seek the busy and the g 
The mourner or tlie joyful, there art 
No distant isle, no surly swelling sur 
E'er aw'd thy progress, or controll'd 



Ji open face, 

!, clieer the deserted '■iglit, 
d Jangutsli'i] Tor Ihc bleu' ' 
II dny, to dissipate tlie cic 
uperstilion wl 
_^ ;r the dnrli abode. 

ppj Lolbian ! hajip; tbrice lli; sons ! 
ne'er yet ventur'd from llie HJUtheMl 
impl misTorl 

p -nitb tbee we dHClJ, and tasle tby joys, 
jiTow reigns not, md wliero eiery gale 
it with fulness, liless'd wiih living hope, 
rs no conker from the year's decay. 




^ ^KfUM. 



nriiat utigni pianet 

Augusta trembJes at the j 

The darling tongue of lib 

Basely confin'd by him u 

Nor dare exclaim how ha 

In days when every mc 

To tell what pieces lack, ] 

I wonder not the low-bor 

By partial justice has asid 

For she no discount gives 

Her aged joints are withoi 

In vain, O Gay ! thy 1\ 

Of yore, to banish the Ita 

Gave homely numbers swee 

The British chorus bless'd 

Thy manly voice, and Alb 

Felt by her sons, and by h( 

Eunuchs, not men, now b< 

And o'er our senses pour 1 

The stage the truest mir 

Our passions there revolve 

Each character is there dis] 

Each hates his own, though 

No marvel, then, that all tl; 



as womsn first that anntch'il the luring b^tW 
mpter Wught Let to IrBnEgreas and eat ! 1 

h wrong tbc deed, bei qu[di compunclion 






all In 



; on Hounsloiv flnuriah here to-dnj ; 
IDeiieit, old Tjljum i,weeps Uiam all away. 
?Qr wotnan's faults, the couae of erery wrong, 
lien robb'd and murder' d, thieves at Tyburn Bming. 
^n paaoag breasts to raise tbe fend alsnn ; 
tf«ke fuQalea in Ibe cause or virtue warm ; 
ity has compu'd llietn to the summer flower, 
tliebaaaand gloiy of an idle hour; 
VIlOT cropp'dj it fellsj shrinka, withers, and decays, 
ltd to oblivion dark cotisigns its days. 
[ Batb this n power to win t!ie female heart 
b^ from its vice, from virtue ne'er to nart? 
Vto, Lbe .wayward virgin 'twill re 
Ifld murders, robberies, rapes, will be no nu 
rrhrae were the lays of him who vinue kne 
fbr dictates who rever'd, and prnetb'd too ; 
Siia idle theorist in her guiltless ways. 
Be pre die spotless goddess nil his days. i 

2*0 Queendierry '. his best and earliest friend, 

Ihat bis wit or learning could cominand ; 

u beU of patrons 1 of bis Muse the pride '. 

[ in her pageant sbnit thou fiisl preside ; — 
■idle pomp tbat riches can procure, 

ft pageant lastiog as the imcropp'd liay. 
It TRdutt triumiih$ witli the Muse of Gay. ■ 




f to tnoulderiog 
« this turf, ^o ^ /^^v\e as 

From the ^ j„ i„ni avw 
Virtue »f^;'UinOl, and *« 
That hU >1 ws so sta' 

.'riUintV>e<=o^f!„ungbVo«, 
peatli gave tW p 

voon FOR *• SE 

^Though scar y^ungtves 
What can tne*^ .lohnson 




FERGUSSON S POEMS. " 

Tbe Itfuae, silenlia! long, wilfa mouth apert, 
Would give vibnilioa lo stagnatic tongue, 
And loud encominle thy puisssnl name, 
Hulogiated Jrom the green decline 
or Thames'i bsnLs to Scoticanian shores, 
Where I^ochlomondian liquitlg unduliic. 
To meminate thy name iE after timea. 
The might; ms^or of eacb rpgaliati lonn 
Shall conaigiiale iby noik to parchment fair 
In rril burgharian, and Iheir tables ail 
Shall fumigate wiili fumigation strong: 
Scotland, from [>Frpcndicularinn bills. 
Shall emignte herlliir muttonian store, 
WhiEb laic had (here in pcdestratioii walk'd. 
And o'er her air; heights purambulri'd. 
Oh, blackest oecrsttons on thy hcsd, 
Edino sliameless I Thaugli he came within 
The bouuds of your notation ; though you knew' 
His honorific name ; you noted not, 
Bui bnely GuAer'd him lo eharimite 
Fta fnnn your touers wi'lh smoke that nubilala, 
Nor drank one smicitrnl BWelling c 
To ffelconie hjm contirrnl. Bailii 
Wilh rage inflated, cntcnalions teai 
Nor ever after be yoti linirulii'd, 
goice you Ihat isncinbility denied 
To h™ vbose potent leKiphaiiiBn ■■ 
WonU con prolongate, and inswell liis page 
Wilh what in olhcrs to a line's coniin'd. 
' Wdcome, thou verbal poleotBle and f 
Til bill) and valleys, where emerging oa 
Snmt earth assuage out pniiperty to bay 
Aed blesi Ihy notne, tby dictionarian sk 



CMenadom, vldo CAb/iu,— , 



The cave cavernic, wnere iiavviuw. „ , 

Churchill, depicted pauperated swains 
With thraldom and bleak want reducted 
Where nature, colouriz'd, so coarsely fad 
And puts her russet par'phernalia on ? 
Have you, as yet, the way explorified 
To let lignarian chalice, swell'd with oat 
Thy orifice approach ? Have you, as yet 
With skin fresh rubified with scarlet sph 
Applied brimstonic unction to yoiir hide 
To terrify the salaraandrian tire 
That from involuntary digits asks 
The strong al laceration ?^Or can you { 
The usquebalian flames of whisky blue 
In fermentation strong ? Have you app 
The kilt aerian to your Anglian thighs, 
And with renunciation assigniz'd 
Your breeches in Londona to be worn * 
Can you, in frigour of Highlandian sk; 
On heathy summits take nocturnal rest 
It cannot be : — You may as well desir 
■• •^'"'virmHdfnian sto 



FSROi7SS0N'S POEMS. 85 



EPIGRAM 
On teeing Scales used in a Mason Lodge, 

Wb7 should the Brethren, met in lodge. 
Adopt such awkward measures, 

To set thdr scales and weights to judge 
The value of their treasures ? 

The law laid down from age to age, 
How can they well overcome it? 

For it forfoids diem to engage 
With aught but line and plummet. 



EPITAPH ON GENERAL WOLFE. 

Ik worth exceeding, and in virtue great, 
WcMrds would want force his actions to relate. 
Silence^ ye bards J eulogiums vain forbear ; 
It is enoo^ to say that Wolfe lies here. 



EPIGRAM 



Oti the numerous Epitaphs for General Wolfe; 
for the best of which a Premium of L. 100 was 
promited. 

Fflx Muse, a shameless mercenary jade ! 

Sat now assum'd the arch-tong;d!d\a^ec^% >x^^' 

fa Wolfe's deserving pndses'sWent ^e, 

JU dMtter'd with the prospect o£ a {e«. 



.. ^y ^rji« rr uourCi UC Ifl 

oharactcr of an Ea 

Ye who oft finish care in I 
Who love to swear, and roa 
List to a brother's voice, wl 
Is — sleep all day, and riot s 

Last night, when potent d 
Did sober reason into wit r* 
When lusty Bacchus had cc 
The sullen vapours from ou 
We sallied forth, (for valoui 
Up to its bright meridian hs 
And, like renowned Quixoti 
Spoils and adventures were < 

First, we approach 'd a see 
Preceded by a lanthorn's pal 
Borne by a liveried puppy's 
The slave obsequious of her i 
Curse on those cits, said I, v\ 
Our streets at midnight with 
Let never tallow-chandler gi 



FKBGDSSONS POEMS. 

me, (torn CunnI aad icSDclal to be Treed, 
Hhem the field and burial of iheii' dend. 
Bil, we approuch'd Ibe boundi of George'd 

Kplace [ No watdi. □□ constables, come diere. 
Ktiad they borrow'd Argna' ejes who saw ua, 
Wf*" made dark and desolnle as chaoi : 
Ks tumbled after Jatnps, and lost their lumw, 
Kdoomsday, viben the stats shall fall in i 
t fency paint what daizling glory grew 
im etystal gems, irben Fha-bns came in 
:li shatler'd orb ten thoiuaod fragments sC 
d s new sun in everj fragmonl shens. 
Mr, ibeo, my buck; ! hon drunten faU 

Doclumal visit to the Meodoni ( 

;,ialoTauscbanipioDB! duntei^ 

d unequall'd! — bolii the Bridge and Cage; 
3f perilous winters which had stood, — 
at the wind, and that against the flood : 
nor wind, nor flood, nor Heaven could 



nbled down, my bucks ! atkd n 
re your for-fam^d warrior! 
im historians m^e such i 



ide suirendenij 
ughly fuia? 



hould be demoUth'd for a wonu 
ur len years' sieges will eice], 

iMljr be eneem'd the nonpareil : 

luM i* sligliter than a dame's betrothing; 

I these mighty ieats have sprung from"— 

■wMiHg, 



L 



While sober folks, in humble 
Estate, and goods, and gear d 
A poet surely may disperse 
His moveables in dogg'rel vei 
And, fearing death my blood 
I hereby constitute my last W 

Then, wit ye me to have m 
To Nature my poetic lore ; 
To her I give and grant the fi 
Of paying to the bards who n^ 
As many talents as she gave, 
When I became the Muse's si 

Thanks to the gods, who m 
No lukewarm friends molest i 
Who always shew a busy care 
For bein;; legatee or heir. 
Of this stamp none will ever f 
The youth that's favour'd by 

But to those few who knovi 
Nor thought a poet's friend di 
The following triHes I bequea 
And leave them with my kinc 



FJERQUSSON S POEMS. 

my HDuff-box, to regale 
.jsea after drowsy meal, 
jtks remenibrance ot u Mend 
lOT'd him to bis Utler end : 
! tliis pledge sbould make him sorry, 
ague like tnemento muri. 
■y bequeatli't 'mang Etublwrn tallows 



I tbe Gner feelings caliai: 
Ihiok tlut parting bceatii' 
it lensBtioiu all at ease. 
lOuPHAHTt* my ^'end, 1 legate 
I •ciolls poetic wbich be may get, 

'- '^—-'om lo correct 

:r could relroapcct; 
poiret to him and his succetsion 
'at and sell a new impression : 

ere I Gi on O&eJbd'b head 

UEil for Doric reed, 

a mucfa power ad Musar bona 



HAmuroN f 
nding debts 
latiny Mi 



Blask 



wilhsc 



dub ill, 
rouble. 



I Inne him singuI'Uim, 
■N mottly dr^ii-ralini. 
llw^irfuMG genius can provoke 
anoDs to Ibe bowl or sock ; 
« to the^ Woods ! sud tlie Nine. 
iaaoKMal Shakespeare tliine. 
asy you Ihrough Ihe aiiey^ turn, 
■" ' taff laughs, where hcroea mo 
euch the glou'ing fire 
raptures on bis lyre. 

LSffltHT in EJinburgh. 



a' 



xiita ciay-Duiit mansion was 
So let my friends with him j 
The gen'rous wine at dirge • 
And I consent to registrat 
Of this my Will for preserva 
That patent it may be, and s 
In Walter's Weekly Magaa 
Witness whereof, these prese 
By William Blair, the public 
And, for the tremour of my 1 
Are sign*d by him at my con 



CODICIL 



TO R. FERGUSSON*S L 



Wtrr-""*" ' *--'» 



rrsctrvBsm>*« Tovaa. 



From one who liv'd and died a bard. 

If poverty has any crime in 
Teachuig mankind the art of rbymit)^, 
Tlien, by these presents. Iedow all mort 
Who come witbtn the ATuses' portal^ 
That 1 approve my Will aforesaid, 
But Ihiok that soioelhiiig might be more n 
And only now nould humbly seek 
The llberfy to add and eik 
To tesC'ment nhieli already made in, 
And doly regiater'd, as Gaid is. 

To TuLLOcH,* nbo, in kind contpassi 
Departed from the common fashion. 
And gave to roe, who never paid it, 
Two flasks of port upon my credit, 
I leave the links, ss fuil of Rir 
A* bis of ruddy moisture were; 
Nor let him lo compliun begin— 
He'll get no more of ca than skin. 

To Waltks Rudbimab, whoie pen 
Slill Bcreen'd me from the dunce's den, 
I leave of phiz a picture, saving 
To him the freedom of engraving 
Therefrom a copy, to embellish. 
And give his work a smnrler relish ; 
For prints and fronlispieccs bind do 
Otir eyes lo stationery window, 
Aa xuperfluities in clothes 
Set off and aignnlite the beam. 
Not th»t I think in reader's eyes 
My nnge will be deera'd a priie ; 

■ A VlU^ McrchAnt- 



Nor would I recommi 

This scheme of coppei 

Since others at the sar 

Propose to give a dish 

Folks will desert his c 

Unless, like theirs, hi 

To Williamson,! ^ 

Dispersing of the burii 

That they may pass wi 

Fleet on the wings of 

Always providing and 

That Peter shall be ev« 

To make, as use is, th 

For letters that may co 

To me addressed while 

Of earth and of corpon 

Where, if he fail, it is 

His legacy be void and 

Let honest Greenla 

On which I lean for ep: 

And that the Muses, at 

May know I had a lear 

Whate'er of character h 

In me, through humouj 



FERGUSSON S PO£MS. 



ds 



Cum privUegio revocare. 
Without assigning ratio quare : 
And I (as in the Will before did) 
Consent this deed shall be recorded : 
In testimonium cujus ret. 
These presents are delivered by 

K. rXBOUSSON. 



5^TTISH DIALECT. 



■ an bclogce. 



in!(i* wlientbesprecklcdgowd^nk iang;^ 
■r-fe'ea dew in blubs a' urystn! bang ; 
Win and Sandie thou^t tho^d wrought 

d Ifaar a^r-tuird owsen fine the pleugh. 
\j ca'd Ihdr beasts unto the town, , 

o draw their breath, e'en sat Ihem down; J 
stiff Bturdf ailc they lean Iheir backs, 
honaC Bandk tlius begins. Ibe cracks. 



cou'dheartfae layroct's shrill-tun 'd ' 
ton to the clotterin' gowdspink's nab 
cou'd whistle canlily as they, 
Eo, as they till'd my rugjf it cluy : 

llcaa puddocks croakin' i' the boge. 
jthmae; a-field I'm dowie loo; 
W ni neier orook mj mou. 




I 



1 cou u nae icn i. jww, ^ — _ 
That some daft lightly in quean 

heart : 
Our beasties here will tak their ( 
An' now, sin' Jock's gane hame 
Fain wou'd I houp my friend w 
To gie me a' the secrets o' his n 
Hch, Sandie, lad ! what dool's i 
Tliat you to whistle ne'er will c 

SANDIE. 

Ah, Willie, Willie ! I may dat< 
Frae what betid me on my brid 
Sair may I rue the hour in whi 
Were knit thegither in the haly 
Sin' that I thrave sae ill, in tro 
Some fiend or fairy, no sae ver 
Has driven me, by pawky wile 
To wed this flytin' fury o' a w 

WILLIE. 

Ah, Sandie ! aften hae I hear 
Amang the lasses a' she bure 
An' say, the modest glances o 



FDKGUSSON 



■et her ye^ on ; be you as csJm's a mouse, 
*bt let yDut vbiEht be beard inlo Ibe houie : 
o what ahe can, or be 09 loud's she pleHse, 
^'er mind her flytes, but set your heart at ease : 
il down and blaw your pipe, nor fash your thumb, 



y hand, ahe^U tire, and 



soon sing 



mer sbou'd Winter's cauld confine the sea, 
• let the sma'est o' our bums rin free j 
mer at Yule-day ihall the birk be drest, 
birds in sapless bu^.•^es big tlicir nest ; 
rorc u tonguey woman's noisy plea 



Feel cou'd I this abide ; but, oh ! I Ten 
II soon be tnin'd 0' s' my warldly gear, 
ly kimilaS' now stands gizten'd at the door ; 
[y cbeesenLcb Uxnn, that ne'er wj 
ly kye may now rin rontin' to the hiJf, 
a' aa the naked yird their milkne^ spill : 
le Msnil Ityi her liatid upon ii turn ; 

t> the kebbuck, uut foists the kirn. 
iw, my hair-mouid milk wou'd pokon dogs, 
il stands Uppcr'd i' the dirty coga. 
Before the seed, I sell'd my Terra cow, 
1" wi' the profit coft a slano 0" woo' ; 
'tiitnight, by priggin, that she might hae ipuii 
pludie, light, to screen me frae the sun : 
at, though the siller's scant, the cleedin dear, 
le hasna ca'd about a wheel the year. 
Kt otik but aive I was froe hame a day, 
ajing a threaie or twa 0' beddin' strse : 
Oka thing the woman hnd her will ; 
dfbulb o' meal to bake, and hens to kill-. 



WILLIE. 

Her tea ! ah, wae betide sic cost! 
Or them that ever wad the price 
Sin' my auld gutcher first the w.- 
Fouk hadna fund the Indies wh 
I mind mysel, it's no sae lang si 
When auntie Marion did her st£ 
That Davs, our gard'ner, cam fi 
An' gae her tea to tak by way o 

SANDIE. 

When ilka herd for cauld his fit 
An' cakes o' ice are seen upo' t 
At mornin', when frae pleugh < 
I'll see a braw reek rising frae ; 
An' aiblins think to get a rantii 
To fley the frost awa, and toast 
But when I shoot my nose in, ' 
If I weelfar'dly see my ain hea 
She round the ingle wi* her gii 



fsrousson's poems; 99 

iig*8 an orra xnornin* can be spar'd, 
your ways east the haugh, an* tell the laird : 
ie*8 a man weel v^rs'd in a' the laws; 
baith their outs an* ins, their cracks an' flaws ; 
lye r^t gleg, when things are out o* joint, 
ttlin* o* a nice or kittle point 
rooder't Jock ; he'll ca' your owsen hame, 
tak thir tidings to your thrawart dame, 
ye're awa ae peacefu' meal to prie, 
;ak your supper, kail or sow'ns, wi' me. 



AN ECLOGUE, 

ihe Memory £/* Dr WWcie, late Professor of 
Taturai PhUosophy in the University of St 
Indrevts* 

GXOEDIE AND DATIE. 
GXORDIE. . 

r saft, my reed, an' kindly, to my maen ; 
may ye thole a saft and dowie stnun. 
mair to you shall shepherds, in a ring, 
ilytheness skip, or laues lilt an' sing ; 
mrow now maun sadden ilka ee, 
ilka waefu' shepherd grieve wi* me. 

DAYIE. 

tefore begin a sad an* dowie strain, 

mish liltin' fiae the Fifan plain? 

ig^ nmmer's gane, an* we nae lang<ei N\ew 

bladi* o* clover wat wi' pearls o' dew *, 

r wintBr'^ bleakest blasts we*U e\tb\7 cous, 

ItleD'fdh'ven, an' our haixst is owre \ 



--;-, man/ flj, 

sir-" 

^" '"^a canty ca 

•^-"Wa:,7'' 

To this I eo " fr 
Nor fun^ " '' hae 

^^e naeU t '''1' °' 
Hound aV°"y°' 



VSBGUSSON's poems. 101 

DAVIE. 

a on Fifan bents can weel refuse 
the tear o* tribute to his Muse?— • 
si ilk cheery spring, ilk canty note ; 
in, an' ilk idle play, forgot : 
ilka herd, the mournfu*, moumfu* boughs, 
iry sad, and evier.dreary yews ; 
t be steepit i* the saut, saut tear, 
t wi* hallow*d draps his sacred bier, 
sangs will aye in Scotland be rever'd, 
law-gaun owsen turn the flowery swaird ; 
lonny lambies lick the dews o* spring ; 
raudnnen whistle, or while birdies sing. 

GIOEDIE. 

I for weel-tim'd verse, or sangs alane, 
e the bell frae ilka shepherd swain ; 
to him had gien a kindly lore, 
' her mystic ferlies to explore : 
ler secret workings he cou*d gle 

I that wi' her principles agree, 
yoursel how weel his maUin thrave ; 
ier faugh'd an* snodit than the lave : 
ad the thristles an' the dockans been 
to wag their taps upo' the green, 
oow his bonny rigs delight the view, 
irln' hedges drink the cauler dew.* 

DAVIE. 

II me, Geordie ! he had sic a gift, 
arce a stamie blinkit frae the lift, 
wou'd some auld warld name for't find, 
him keep it freshly in his mind. 

WUlde had a form near St Andrews, on which he 
!at iiB^rovonenta. 



GEORD 

But now he's ganc ; an fai 
Seenil lets ony o' her votar 
Will frae his shinin' name 
An' on her loudest trump i 
Lang may his sacred banes 
Lang may his trulf in gowi 
Scholars, an' bards unheard 
An' stamp memorials on hi 
Whicli in yon ancient kirk^ 
Fam'd as the urn that baud 



£L£G 



On the Death of Mr David 
of Mathematics in the Uni 

Now mourn, ye college n 




fehcusson's 

■ Now ihey may mourn for 
They'll hill ^^' 



e cou'd, b; Euclid, prove Ung aimc. 
_. gui^' point cumpos'd b line. 
By DiuDben, too, he cou'd divine. 

When he did read, 
That three times three just 



In algeUra wecl afcill'd he was 
An' kenl fu' weel proporlion's laws: 
Du'd mok cleat hailh B's and A's 
Wi' his Ung head; 
Rin onre surd roots, but cracks or flans 
But now he'a dead. 



Tliey lioe great need : 
Sin' Gregory's dead. 



Butn 



dend. 



Weel vera'd 
An- kent tt 
Upo' b»lh glohcB he weel 

An'gi 
O' geometry he was Ihe H 

Butni 



arcbi lecture, 






Sae Heel's he'd fley the students n', 
When they were tikelpin hi the ba' ; 
They took leg-beil, an' ran nwa 

Wi' pith an' sperd : 
We winna get a sport uc hniw, 

Sin' Gregory'! dead. 



OrMt 'cuiv 






THE 

Glowrs owe the „, 
^VMe, through his 

Hi 

s^-'ds drift owreJ!";;/^ 



VlftG0SSON'8 POEMS. 105 

When meny Yule-daj comes, I trow, 
Tonll wamflins find a hungry mou ; 
Sma* are our cares, oar stiwiackB In* 

O* gusty gear. 
An* kiduhawsy strangers to our Tiew 

Sin* femyear. 

Ye b ro wa te r wires ! now bosk ye braw, 
An' fling jour sorrows far awa ; 
Hien, come an* gie*s the tither blaw 

O* reaming ale, 
Mair predoiis than the Well o* Spa, 

Our hearts to heal. 

Then, diougfa at odds wi* a* the warl*, 
Amang ounels we'll ne^er quarrel ; 
Though discord gie a canker'd snarl 

To spoQ our glee, 
As lang's Uiere's pith into Ae barrel. 

We'll drink an* gree. 

Fiddlers ! your pins in temper fix. 
An* roiet weel your fiddlesticks ; 
But banirii Tile Italian tricks 

Frae out your quorum ; 
Nor fortes wi* pianos miz— 

Gie'a TuUochgorum. 

For nought ean dieer (fae heart sae weel, 
Aa can a canty Hlgliland reel ; 
It eren Tiyiftes the heel 

To skip and dance : 
LifelesB is he wha canna feel 

Its influence. . 

Let mirth abound ; let social cheer 
InTest the dawnin* o* the year ; 



Wha sway' St the empire o* this city— 
When fou, we're sometimes capemoitj 

Be thou prepared 
To hedge us frae that black banditti, 

The City Guard. 



THE 

king's birth-day in edin 

Oh ! qualis hurly-burly f uit, si forte v 

Polen 

I SING the day sae aften sung, 

Wi' which our lugs hae yearly rung, 

In whase loud praise the Muse has di: 

A' kind o' print ; 
But, wow ! the limraer*s fairly flung ; 

There's naething in' 



fergusson's poems. 107 

ffor seek for Helicon to wash us, 

That heath'nish «pring ; 

¥i' Highland whisky scour our hawses, 

An* gar us sing. 

lefpn, then, dame ! ye*ve drunk your fill ; 
fou wou*dna hae the tither gill? 
fou'll trust me, mair wou*d do you ill, 

An' ding you doitet : 
iVoth, 'twou'd be sair against my will 

To hae the wyte o*t. 

Sng, then, how on the fourth o* June 
>ar bells screed aff a loyal tune ; 
hir ancient castle shoots at noon, 

Wi' flagstaff buskit, 
''rae whidb the sodger blades come down 

To cock their musket. 

)h willawins ! Mons Meg, for you ; 
Fwas firin* crack*d thy muckle mou ; 
VhtA black mishanter gart ye spew 

Baith gut an* ga* ? 
fear, they bang*d thy belly fu*. 
Against the law. 

light seenil am I gien to bannin ; 
Sut, by my saul, ye was a cannon 
}ould hit a man, had he been stannin 

In shire o* Fife, 
lax Ung Scots miles ayont Clackmannan, 

An* tak his life. 

lie hills in terror wou*d cry out, 

Ui* echo to thy dinsome rout ; 

Tie herds wou'd |^t|ier in thdr no^t. 

That glowT^d wi' vjoti^^ti 



v>uuie iiere to cast their cloute< 

An' get their 

Than them what magistrate m; 

On King's b: 

On this great day the City Gil 
In military art weel lear'd, 
Wi' powder'd pow, an' shaven 

Gang througl 
By hostile rabble seldom spar'c 

O* clarty unc 

O soldiers ! for your ain dear si 
For Scotland's, alias Land o' C 
Gie not her bairns sic deadly p£ 

Nor be sae ru- 
Wi' firelock or lochaber aix, 

As spill their I 

Now round an' round the serpei 

Wi* hissin' wrath and angry phi 
o^ • 



FSROUSSON's poems. 109 

he Muse maun also now implore 
uld wives to steek ilk hole an' bore ; 
baudrins slip but to the dooiv 

I fear, I fear, 
le'll no lang shank upo* all four 

Hus time o* year. 

eist day ilk hero teUs his news, 
* CFBckit crowns an' broken brows, 
a' deeds that here forbid the Muse 
Her theme to sweU, 
r time mair precious to abuser 

. Their crimes to tell ; 

le'll rather to the fields resort, 
liere music gars the day seem short ; 
liere doggies play, an' lambies sport, 

On gowany braes ; 
liere peerless fancy hands her court, 

And tunes her lays. 



CAULER OYSTERS. 

Hannr the man. wbo, free tram care and strife. 
In suken or in leathern purge retains 
A ipleDdid shilling. He nor hears with pain 
New oysters cry*d, nor sighs for cheerfm ale. 

Phillips, 

y a' the waters that can hobble 
V fishing yole or la'mon coble, 
la' can reward the fisher's trouble, 

Or south or norlli, 
Ihen's nane sae spacious an' sae nob\e, 

Aa fMtb o* Forth. 



Auld Reikie's sons blythe faces wear 
September's merry month is near, 
That brings in Neptune's cauler chee 

New Oysters fresh ; 
The halesomest and nicest gear, 

O' fish or flesh. 

O ' then, we necdna gie a plack 
For dand'rin mountebank or quack, 
Wha o' their drogs sae bauldly crack 

An' spread sic noti< 
As gar their feckless patients tak 

Their stinkin' potic 

Come, prie, fraU man ! for if thou a 
The Oyster is a rare cathartic, 
As ever doctor patient gart lick 

To cure his ails ; 
Whether you hae the head or heart-s 

It never fails. 



nKOUSSOK's POSIIS. 

> Ludue ]ffiddleiiiist*s loup in, 
An* sit fu* snug 

nrre Oysters an* a dram o* gin. 
Or baddodc lu^. 

hen auld Saimt Giles, at aught o*clo^, 
m merchant lorms their shopies lock, 
lere we adjourn wi' hearty fouk 

To birle our bodies, 
1* get wharewi* to crack our joke. 

An* clear our noddles. 

hen Phodl)U8 did.his winnocks steek, 
Tw aften at that ingle cheek 
d I my frosty fingers beek, 

An* prie good fare ! 
row, there was nae hame to seek, 

When steghin there. 

lie glaikit fools, owre rife o' cash, 
iper their wames wi* fousom trash, 
nk a chiel' may gaily pass, 

He*s nae ill bodden, 
gusts his gab wi* Oyster-sauce, 

An* hen weel sodden. 

jsselbrougfa, and eke Newhaven, 
(herwives will get top livin*, 
lads gang out on Sundays* e^en* 
To treat their joes, 
o* fiit Pandores a prieven, 
Or mussel brose. 

metimes, ere they flit their doup, 
'blins a* their siller coup 
' clear frae cutty stoup. 

To we«t their wizen. 



If greedy priest or drouthy vicar 

Will thole it better. 



BRAID CLAITH. 

Ye wha are fain to hae your name 
Wrote i' the bonnie book o* fame, 
Let merit nae pretension claim 

To laureird wreath, 
But hap ye wecl, baith back an* w 

In gude Braid Clai 

He that some ells o* this may fa*, 
An' ^lae-black hat on pow like sna 
Bids bauld to bear the gree awa, 



ySKGtTSSOH'S FDEMS. 

hi Sabbath-days the barher spark, 
len he has dOEc wi' scrapin" wark, 
* siUer broBchic in his satk. 

Gangs trigty, faith ! 
to Ifae Meadows, or the Park, 

Id gude Bruld Claitli. 

'eel might ye trow, to see tbem there 
' at they to shave your haffils hare, 
curl and sleek a pickle hair. 

Would be right lailb, 
leD pacin' wi' s gawsy air 

In gude Braid ClaiCb. 



Before be sheath 
ia body in a scabbard clean 

O' gude Sraid Claith. 

or, ^n he come wi' coat Ilireadbare, 
teg for him she winna care, 
pt crook her bonny mou fu' eair, 

An' scauld him ballh : 

'ooen ahou'd aye their travel ^pare, 

Without Brud Claith. 

raid Claitb lends fonk an unco heeie ; 
bki mony kail- worms bu tierflees ; 
Eei mony a doctor hia degrees, 

For little skaith : 
I diort, vou may be wliai you please, 

Wi' gude Braid Claith. 






T Sir Isaac Newvoo, 



ELEG"S 

ON THE DEATH OP S 

Mark it, Caisario ! it is old and r 
ine spinsters and the knitters in 
And the free maids that weave tl 
Do use to chant it. 

S^ake 

On Scotia's plains, in dayj 
When lads an' lasses taitai 
Saft Music rang on ilka sh 

In hamely v 
But harmony is now no mi 

An' Music c 

Hound her the feather'd eh 
Sae bonnily she wont to sin 
An' sleely wake the sleepin 
Their sang 
Sweet as the zephyrs o* the 



.firousiSon's POXMS. 1 1 5 

When the saft vernal breezes ca* 
The grey-hair*d Winter fogs awa, 
Naebody then is heard to blaw, 

Near hill or mead, 
On duuinter, or on aiten stravir, 

Sin* Music's dead. 

Nae lasses now, on Simmer days^ 
Will lilt at bleachin' o* their claes; 
Nae herds on Yarrow's bonny braes, 

Or banks o' Tweed, 
Delight to chaunt their hamely lays, 

Sin' Music's dead. 

At gloandn, now, the bagpipe's dumb. 
When weary owsen hameward cdme ; 
Sae sweetly as it wont to bum. 

An' pibrochs skreed ; 
We nerer hear its warlike hum ; 

For Music's dead. 

MflCgibbon's gane ! ah, waes my heart ! 
Ibe man in music maist expert ; 
Wha ooa'd sweet melody impart. 

An* tune the reed, 
Wi' ac a slee an* pawky art ; 

But now he's dead. 

Ilk avlin now may grunt an* grane, 
nk bonnie lassie xnak great maen ; 
Sin' he's awa, I trow, there's nane 

Can fill his stead ; 
The blythest sangster on the plain ! 

Alack, he's dead ! 

Now fordgn sonnets bear the gree, 
An* cnbbit, queer variety 



Cou'd lavrocKs, a«. "•'^ — - 

Cou'd Unties, chirmin' fray the 
Or todlin' burns, that smoothly 

Owre gowden b< 
Compare wi' " Birks o' Invera 

But now they re 

O Scotland ! that cou'd ance a 
To bang the pith o' Roman sw 
Winna yoiu: sons, wi' joint ace 

To battle speed 
An' fight till Music be restor'c 

Which now lies 



HALLOWFAII 



PEBGUSaON S POEMS. 

Upo' Ihe lap o' itka luin 

The Bun heg^n lo keek, 
ka' bade the trig-made majdens cmnc 
. A ughtl; joe lo seek 
|il HaltoKfair. nlmre browsters rare 

Keep gude ale on the gantreea, 

O* kebbucka fhte their pantries. 
Fu' fiaul (bat day, 

Sere countiy John, in bonnet blue, 
An' eke his Sunday'n does an, 

lins after Meg »i' njkelay ne«-, 
An' nppy kiasei lays on : 

Ihe'll Ifluntin' aay, " Ye silly coof ! 

' Be o' your ^b mur spsrin' ;" 

^e'tl Ink the hint, an' creish her loor 
Wi' what will huy her fairin'. 

To chow that day- 

Bere chttpman billies tsk their stand. 

An' show their bonny wallies ; 
Jfow > hut they lie fii' gleg aff band 

To trick Ihe ully ratbws : 
9eb, nre ! what cairds and tinklers come 

An' ne'ei-do-weel horse- coupers, 
m' spae-wives, fi^nzying to be dumb, 
Wi' a' sicklike landlotip^rs, 

To thrite that day I 

lere Sawny cties, IVoe Aberdeen, 

" Come ye lo me fa need ; 
[lie brsweet shanks that e'er were seen 
_ I'll sell ye cheap an' guid: 
»jt they are u pretty hose 
As come frae wevr or lecm-. 



'J • 



(( 



O' a' thir wylie louns beware, 
Or, fegs ! they will ye spulzi< 

For femyear Meg Thomson gty 
Frae thir mischievous villains 

A scaw'd bit o' a penny note. 
That lost a score o' shillin's 
To her that cU 

The dinlin drums alarm our eai 

The sergeant screechs fu* lou 
A* gentlemen an* volunteers 

That wish your country gude 
Come here to me, an' I sail gie 

Twa guineas an' a crown ; 
A bowl o* punch, that, like rfie 

Will soom a lang dragoon 
Wi' ease this 

Without, the cuissers prance an 
An' owre the ley-rig scud ; 



IRSGcrssoN s POEMS. 

re culgily tbcy kiss the cap, 
o't rounJ heller-diilter, 
II gaed Airth to play hii fKaksj 



I" Ohon ! (qua' be), I'd rather be 
I By iword or bagnei stickit, 
Thaii faae 1117 crown or bodj vi' 

Sic deadly weapon nickiL" 
Wi' thai he gat anidier stn{k 
JghCy ihna before. 
That gar't his feckless body acbe, 
' Bpew die reekin' gore 

Fu' red thnl nighl. 

He pcchin on (he rawsey lay, 

O' kicks an' ruFa ncel Eiuir'd ; 
A HJ^iUnd ailh ihe sergeant gae, 

'^ She maa pe see our ^ard/' 
Oat tpak the weirlike corporal, 

"Piingin la drucken sot :" 
ni«j tnui'd him ben, an' by my laul. 

He paid bis drocken gronl 

For (hat aeist day. 

ude fouk t as ye come frae the fair. 

Bide yont frac this black squad ; 
rfaera'i nae sic liiivi^es elsewhere 

AUov'd lo wear cockad'. 
rfaan the strong lion's bungry maw. 

Or nuk o' Russian bear, 
EVh dieir wanmly fellin' paw 



mm^^-^y^ 



Your (leatli lli« Axj- 



ic gars mm aiten stamm* 
To pleys that bring him to 
An' eke the Council Chi 
Wi' sham 



ODE TO THE 



Herds ! blithsorae tune yo 
An' welcome to the gowan 
The pride o' a' the insect t 
A stranger to the green sac 
Unfauld ilk buss, an' ilka 1 
The bounties o' the gleesoi 
To him whose voice deligh 
Whose soughs the saftest si 
The trees in Simmer cle 
The hillocks in their green 




EERGDSSON 



The simmer o hia life to pmc, 
In winter he might fend fu' bauld, 
His eild unkend to nippin' cauld ; 
Tet tbae, aim ! nre antrjn foulc 
Th»t lafc their scape wi' winter slddi. 
Auld age maist feckly glowrs right dour 
Upo' the ailings o' the poor, 
Whi bope for aae comforting, save 
Thai danie, dismal ii<iu»;, (he gnve. 
Then, feeble man ! be wise ; tok tent 
How indliitT7 am fetch cODICDt ; 
Behold the bees where'er they wing, 
Or through the bonny bowers o' Spring, 
Where violets or wbeie roses blair, 
An' siller dew-drapi nightly fa", 
Or when on open bent they're seen, 
On heather bill or thiisde green ; 
The hiney's still as sweet that Hows 
Fne Ihristle cnuld, or kendh'n rose. 

Frae this (ho human race miy learn 
Reflection's hiuey'd draps to earn, 
Wbelber Ibey tmmp life's thorny way. 
Or through the sunny vineyard stray. 

InMracllTe bee ! aHend rac still ; 
OwTe a' mj labours sey your skill : 
VOT tbee sbgjl hineysuckles rise, 
Wr ladin" to your busy thighs. 
An' ilka ihrub surround my cell, 
Whereon ye like tu bum an' dwell ; 
Kj trres in bourachs owre my ground 
Shall fend ye frue ilk bla^t a' wind ; 



JMfe oat the treamm tne yauT VnV,ei 



4 



Twinin* her livin* garlands tli 
That lyart time can ne*er imj 



ON SEEING A BUTTER; 
STREET. 

Daft gowk ! in macaroni dress 
Are ye come here to shaw your 
Bowden wi' pride o' simmer gl< 
To cast a dai^ at Reekie's cross 
An* glowr at mony a twa-legg*« 
Flees braw by art, though worn 
Like country lidrd in city cle 
Ye*re come to town, to lear goc 
To bring ilk darlin* toast an* fa 
In vogue amang the flee creatio 
That they, like buskit belles an 



FZRGDSSON S FOEME. 

ding ana the vcxia' thought 
lourly dwynin into nougbt, 
leeDgin lo youT foppish bri then, 
\ cortiicB dress'd in peacocks' feather*. 
thee, they dander here an' (here, 
n Siouner's blinks are warm an' fair, 
lo'e to snulf tlie licalthy balm 






,d glo^, 



.e cnJm ; 



Borean lulus' in angry shower, 
tbee, Ihay BCtmr fnie slroel or field, 
hqi Ihem in a lyther bield. ; 
hey were nerer tnade to dree 
idrerse gloom o' fonune'i ee ; 
em piie'd life's pinin' woes ; 
^'d the prickles wi' the rose. 
■^ ir Butterfly 1 thy case I mourn ; 
een lull- yard an' fruits return, 
cou'd you troke the mavis' note 
Penny pies, all piping hot?" 

[niBUes free the City Guard ? 
m OUT flowers, at ten hours' bell, 
the Spink eicel? 
our sclates wi' bailstanes riag 
I cabbage fauld wad sciccii your wing? 
SallcHn' fairy, were't ihy hop 
^l beneath braw Nanny's cap, 
ihe, proud buttvtily of May i 
' " skaithless gae ? 



nglancii 



le her ( 



VVnere i^v- « — _ 
O' ministers, wha jeer and jibe, 
An' heese his hopes wi' thought o* bi 
Till, in the end, they flae him bare^ 
Leave him to poortith an' to care. 
Their fleetchin words owre late he sei 
He trudges hame— repines— an' dies 
Sic be their fa' wha dirk there4>eii 
In blackest business no their ain ; 
An' may they scad their lips fu' leal. 
That dip their spoons in ither's kaiL 



ODE TO THE GOWDSP 

Frae fields where Spring her swee 
Wi' cauler verdure owre tlie lawn, 
The Gowdspink comes in new atti 
''^«» Krawest 'mang the whistling < 



FEKGUSSON S POEMS. 

Tbj ihinin' garmenti for outstrip 

The chErriea upon Hebe's lip, 

An fool the tintti lliat Nature choso 

To bulk an' paint tbe criin»in rose. 

'Mttng men, wae'i heul? we aften 6od 

The br»*e»t ilreBs'd wnnt peace o' miodi 

While he that gangs wi' ragged cuat 

1) weel conlentii wi' his lot. 

When wand, wi' glew} birdlime set, 

Tosteal tar off your dnuiil 

Blithe wad fou change yai 

In lieu of Uvruek's sobur f 

In vain througli woods you sajr may bnn I 

Theei ■ ' 



leryo r 



That, wi' your gowdvn glUtcr t 



Still hi 



ti you on the S 






An' traps jou 'mi 

O* Wiatcr'i dreary, "drcepiu tnaws. 

Now steekit frac the gonsny Geld, 

Free Dka fav'rite houlT and bield ; 

Sul mergh, alas ! to disengage 

Your bonny buik fnie feltcria' cage. 

Tour freehom bosom bexts in vain 

For darlin' liberty again. 

Id mndow hung, how art we see 

Thee keek around ut warblers free. 

That carol satl, and sweetly sing 

Wi" a' the bliihnesa o' tbe Spring ! 

Like Tantalus they hiug you here. 

To apy the glorieu o' the year ; 

Ad' though you're at the burnie'a brink, i 

They downa suffer you to drink. 

Ah, Liberty ! thou bonny dame. 
How vildly wanton is thy itream. 
Brand whilk the birdie» a' rejoice, 
Aa'bailjon wV agiatefu' vmte*. 



Thau paughty damsels bred at cour 
Wha thravv their mous, an talc the d 
But, reft of thee, fient flee we care 
For a' that life ahint can spare. 
The Gowdspink, that sae lang has ki 
Thy happy sweets (his wonted frien* 
Her sad confinement ill can brook 
In some dark chamber's dowie nook 
Though Mary's hand his neb suppli 
Unkend to hunger's painfu' cries, 
Even beauty canna cheer the heart 
Frae life, frae liberty apart: 
For now we tyne its wonted lay, 
Sae lightsome sweet, sae blithly gay, 
Tlius, Fortune aft a curse can gie. 
To wile us far frae liberty ; 
Then tent her syren smiles wha list, 
I'll ne'er envy your girnel's grist : 
For when fair freedom smiles nae ma 
Care I for life ? Shame fa' the hair ! 
A field o'ergrown wi' rankest stubble< 



SBROIIfiSOlj'S POEMS. 



Whiin fether A die fini pM Ipldcjn 
The bonny fan) o' ancient Eden. 
His amr; liad nae liqunr laid in 

To Tire Lis uou ; 
Not did he (hole liis wife's upbraidin\ 

For Ijcin' Too. 

A CBulcr burn o' ciller sheen, 

Ban cannil; out-owre tlie green ; 

An' wlien our guicher'a drouth hsd been J 

To bide right wir. 
He loulit down, anil dranlt bedecn 

A diunly tksir. 

His bainu had a'. beTore the flood. 
A linger lack o' flesh and blood, 
And on mair pithj shanki they stood 

Thaa Nosh's line, 
Wlu ttill bae been n fecUera brood, 

Wi' drinltin' wine. 

Tha fuddlin' bardies, now-iudays, 
Bin maakin-inad in Bacchus' praise; 
And limp and stoitcr through their lays 

AnicreonCic, 
While each his sea of wine digpl^s 

As big's the Pontic. 



This is the name that doctors i 
Their patients' noddles to conl 
\Vi* simples clad in terms absi 

They labour 

In kittle words to gar you rot 

Their want < 

But we'll hac nae sic clitter-c 
And, briefly to expound the r 
It shall be ca'd gude Cauler ' 

Than whilkj 
Few drugs in doctors* shops i 

For me or 3 

Though joints be stiflf as ony 
Your pith wi' pain be sairly d 
Be you in Cauler Water flun 

Out-owre tl 

'Twill mak you souple, swacl 

Withouten 



^ergusson's poems. 129 

In gleefu looks, an* bonny faces. 

To catch our een. 

The fairest, then, might die a maid, 
An* Cupid quit his shootin* trade ; 
For wba, through clarty masquerade, 

Cou*d then discover 
Whether the features under shade 

Were worth a lover? 

As iSmmer rains bring Simmer flowers, 
And leaves to deed the birken bowers ; 
Sae beauty gets by cauler showers 

Sae rich a bloom, 
As for estate, or heavy dowers. 

Aft stands in room. 

What maks Auld Reekie*s dames sae fair ? 
It canna be the halesome air ; 
But cauler bum, beyond compare, 

The best o* ony. 
That gars them a* sic graces skair, 

An* blink sae bonny. 

On Mayday, in a fairy ring, 

We've seen them round St Anthon*s spring, 

Fnie grass the cauler dew-draps wring 

To weet their een, 
An' water, clear as crystal spring, 

To synd them clean. 

O may they still pursue the way 
To look sae feat, sae clean, sae gay ! 
Then shall their beauties glance like May ; 

And, like her, be 
The goddesB of the vocal spray. 

The Muse, an* me. 



^HCEBus, sair coh 
^oui^ near the yi 
Cawd Shaw the i 

^bicb heese the b 

1 

O- dribbles fee the 

Or 

S;<i°"«o'Sess;„. 

^ancneshthesJaw-g 
'^<'"K'.»be,.«g,-™ 



VSBOySSOH'fr POBM 8. 131 

Weel does be lo*e the lawen coin. 

When dossied down, 

For whisky gills, or dribs o* wine^ 

In cauld forenoon. 



Bar-keepers ! now at outor door, 
Tak tent as fouk gang back an' fore ; 
The fient ane there but pays his score ; 

Nane wins toll-free ; 
Though yeVe a Cause the House before, 

Or agent be. 

Gin ony, here, wi* canker knocks, 
An* hasna lows*d his siller pocks. 
Ye needna think to fleetch or coax ;— - 

" Come shaw*s your gear 
** Ae scabbit yowe spills twenty flocks^- 

« Ye*s no be here." 

Now, at the door, they'll raise a plea :— 
Crack on, my lads ! for flytin*s free ; 
For gin ye sbou*d tongue-tackit be. 

The mair*s the pity, 
When scauldin but an* ben we see, 

Pendente lite. 

The lawyers* shelft, an* printers* presses, 
Grain unco sair wi* weighty cases ; 
The derk in toil his pleasure places, 

To thrive bedeen : 
At Ave hours* bell scribes shaw their hees. 

An' rake their een. 

The cooDtry fouk to lawyers crooV *.— 
" All, wedi4ue o' your bonny bmV \ 



Withouten rim fouk out to kei 
A donnart chiel, when dnink, 

Fu* sleely ioj 
But finds the gate baith stey ai 

Ere out he n 



THE RISING OF THE 

To a* men liyin* be it kend. 
The Session now is at an end. 
Writers ! your finger nebs unl 

An* quat the 
Till time, wi* lyart pow, shall 

Blithe June 

Tir'd o* the law, an* a* its phi 
The wily writers, ridi as Cnet 
Hurl frae the town in hackne; 

For country 
The powny that in Spring-tim 



Blillie thej maj be wha wanton pUy 
In Fortune's bonny blinkin' ray : 
Fu' wmI cau they ding dool away 

Wi' comniiies coulhy, 
An' never dree a hungerc day, 

Or e'enjo' droulhy. 

Ohon [he day [ for him tbat'« laid 
' In dowie poortitli's cauldrifc shnde ; 
Aiblini owre honest for his trade. 

He racks his wita 
How iie ma)' get bis buik neel dad, 

An' fill his guts. 

Hie fanners' sons, as yap as sparrows, 
Are glad, I (row, lo flee the banas, 
An' Hfaisllc to the pleugh an' harrows, 

At barley seed; 
What writer wadna gang as far as 

He cau'd tor bread? 

After their yoltin, I naC wcel, 
They'll stoo the ke^bbuck to the heel ; 
Eilti can tlie pleugh-stilts gar a diiel 

Be unco vogie 
Clean to lick 1 "" ' 






:og«. 



<Iow mony a Aillaw'i dung adrift 
To a' the blasts beneath (he !il\ ; 
An' though their stamack's aft in til 



I No<r, //■ Notar sfaou'd be wanud, 
mJ'oa'li Ead the pillars gtijlj pl&auA-- 



Naebody taks a momin 
O' HoUand gin frae R< 
And, though a dram to 

Than 
He maun tak time to d 

Till si 

This vacance is a heavj 
On Indian Peter*s coffe 
For a* his diiaa pigs an 

Nord 
In wine the sucker bisk 

As ligi 

But stop, my Muse ! nc 
Fate doesna fend on tha 
He can fell twa dogs wi 

While 
Maun rest themsels cont 

Nor fa 

Ye changehouse keepers 



VEBGUSSON'S poems. 135 

Tbeiiy if we a' be spar*d frae death, 

We'll gladly prie 
Fresh noggins o* your reamin* graith 

Wi* biithsome glee. 



LEITH RACES. 



Ik July month, ae bonny mom. 

When Nature's rokelay green 
Was spread owre ilka rig o' corn, 

To charm our rovin* een ; 
Glowrin about, I saw a quean. 

The fau^t 'neath the b'ft; 
Her een were o* the siller sheen. 

Her skin, like snawy drift, 

Sae white that day. 

^o* she, ** I ferly unco sair. 
That ye shou*d musin' gae ; 
'e wha hae sung o* Hallowfair, 
Her winter pranks an* play; 
lien on Leith sands the racers rare 
Wi* Jocky louns are met, 
ur orra pennies there to ware, 
Vn' drown themsels in debt 

Fu* deep that day." 

wha are ye, my winsome dear, 
at taks Uie gate sae early ? 
e do ye win, if ane may speir ; 
- 1 right meikle ferly, 
■e braw binkit laughin* lass 
honay blinks shou'd gie. 



<' I dwall amang the caul 

That weet the Land o* 
An* aften tune my canty 

At bridals an* late-wak 
They ca* me Mirth ;— I 

To grumble or look sot 
But blithe wad be a lift t 

If ye wad sey my powc 
An*pitl 

A bargain be*t ; an* by n 

If ye will be my mate, 
Wi* you 1*11 screw the ct 

Ye shanna find me bb 
We*ll reel an* ramble th; 

An* jeer wi* a* we mc 
Nor hip the dafl an* gU 

That fill £dina*s stn 
Saetl 

Ere servant-maids hai? 
To seethe the break 



Eneugfa to fley a mueltle town, 

Wi' dinsomc squeel up' tuirk. 
" Here Is the true «n" faithfu' liM 

O' Noblemen an' Horses; 
Tlirareild, Ibdr wdght, Lheir beigbt, their g^ 

That rin lor pUlea or purses, 

Fu' fleet this daj. " 

To whWty plouks that brunt for ouks 

On town-guard iodgers' tarci. 
Their berbcr bnuld liis ivb.ttle crooka. 

A"* scrapes them for Ihe races, 
Their stumps, erst us'd lo piiilibegs, 

Are dighl in spallerdashcs. 
Whose barken'd bides scarc'c fend llicjr 

Frae weet nn' wearj plasbcs 

O' dirt that day, 

" Cone, hafe a care (the Captain erica). 

On guna your bagnets thraw ; 
Now mind your laanual eiereise. 

An' ■* Ibey march, he'll glowr about. 

Tent a' Iheir cuts an' scars ; 
'Mang them full mony a gnwsy snout 

Has guabt in birth-tlay van, 

VIV Uude that day. 

" Her iminsel maun be carefu' now. 

Nor nmun she be raislear'd, 

Sn' bailer hida hae scul'd a vow. 

To skelp an" duut the Guard." 

I'm sure Auid Reekie kens o' nane 

That wou'd be sorry at it, 

I Tliou^ they shou'd dearly pay VIlg Vui 

Ao' gel Ibeir toils wee) saum. 

An' s^, tliir days. 



O' ilka trade an' station, 
That gar their wives an* childer feel 
Toom wames, for their libation 

O* drink thir days ! 

The browster wives thegither harl 

A' trash that they can fa* on ; 
They rake the grunds o* Oka barrel. 

To profit by the lawen : 
For weel wat they, a skin leal het 

For drinkin' needs nae hire : 
At drumbly gear they tak nae pet ; 

Foul water slockcns fire, 

An' drouth, thir da 

They say, ill ale has been the dead 

O' mony a bierdly loon ; 
Then dinna gape like gleds, wi' grec 

To sweel hale bickers down. 
Gin Lord send mony ane the mom. 

They'll ban fu* sair the time 



FSRGUSSOH S POEMS. 

Wed staw'd wi- ±etn, lie'U omet spt 
The price o' being fu' 

Wr drink that dav. 

Now wily wights at rowlj-powl. 

An' flingin' o' Uie dice, 
Here break the bones u' toony a soul 

Wi' fa's upo' the iia 
At Gnt, llie gale seems fair an' slraught, I 

Sae they baud fairly till her : 
Bui, wow \ in spite o' a' their mnught. 

They're rookie o' their siller, 

An' gowd, thir days. 



ing your i 



foulc r< 



Around, where'er ' 

Tlie hacks, like ' 

Some chaises lionei 

WI' rose sn' lily, red an' wbilc, 
They gie Ihemsels ac lit airs, 

Uke Siau Ihcy will scran peifite ; 
But it's nac gowd that gliliers 

Wi' them llilr days, 



The lion here, wi' open pi 
Iiby cleek in moay hue 
I Wha geek at ScDtlaod, an' 
His wily talons under : 
I For, ken, though Jamie's laws art 
(Thaiis to the wiw recorder !) 
' His Lion yet roars loud an' bnuld 
To baud the wbigs in order, 

Sae prime this & 






i heir skins are g 
A 

Siclike in Robinhoc 

When twa chiels 
E'en now some cou 

An' dirt wi' word 
Till up loups he, wi 

There's lang an' i 
For now they're nea 

Now, ten miles fr 
In 

The races owre, thej 

Wi' drink o' a* kii 
Great feck gae hirpli 

The cripple lead tl 
May ne'er the cankei 

Mak our bauld spi 
'Case we get wherew: 

Wi' een as blue's a 



PBUGTrSSON » PQXHS. 



REK 


gloomin 


greyou 


t-owreftc 


nlldx keeks; 




nBatie 


c>-> bi:< 




byre J 


lien 


Thrasht 


I John, 


«irdung. 




An 


EuBly 1b. 


MSfllth 


digbtin tire: 



_ ing eauld. 

An' gan sniiK.uppit Winter treexe in TBin ; 
IBIS dome mortalM look baitli blitbe an' bauld. 
Nor fley'd »i' a' Ihe poortidi o' Ihe plain ; 
Begin, my Muie ! and cbnunt in hamely strain. 

trae the big stack, weel winnow't on Ihe hill, 

Wi' divots theekit frae Ih« wect u' drift ; 
loda, peals, an' heathery irulfa (he chimley fil], 

■ " _ _ eek sobite die IHL 

The pidetniu, new come hame, is blithe to End, 

'—" • Kibe hallnn flings his sen. 

That ilka tum is handled lo his mind ; 

That a' fats boiude looks sae cosh on' clean ; 

For deoniy house lo'es he, though e'eriae mean. 

(feel kens the gudcwifu, that Ihe pieughs require 
' faeartsomc meloth, an' rofreihin' synd 
sppy liquor, owre a bleczin' lire i 
ir »ark an' poorlith ilo" na weel be jcktC 4. 
bulter'd bannocks now Ihe girdle teeVi^ 
I'ttefaratxA the bowic briskly leuas' 



u 



Wad they to laDuuit^e, .. 
Tliey'd rax fell Strang upo* the simple! 

Nor find their stamacks ever at a sta 
Fu' hale an' healthy wad they pass the 

At night, in calmest slumbers dose 1 
Nor doctor need their weary life to spa 

Nor drogs their noddle and their sens 

Till death slip sleely on, an* gie th 
wound. 

On sicken food has mony a doughty d 
By Caledonia's ancestors been done 

By this did mony a wight fu' weirlike 
In brulzies frae the dawn to set o* 

'Twas this that brac'd their gardies sti 
That bent the deadly yew in ancier 

Laid Denmark's daring sons on yird 
Gar'd Scottish thristles bang the I 
For near our crest their heads they d( 

The couthy cracks begin when suppc 
' -—'""• Kicker gars them gli 



Dble an' greet, nn' mak an unco manE. 
;lea round, licfure the inglu's Fowe, 
pidnmc's mouth auld world liles Ibej lii^ar, 
lock! loupiii' round Ihe winiitow ; 
batBtf^ that win in glen an' kirk-yard dtf-'Hr ; 
k louiles a' tlieir tiqi, no' gnri them iholle 

;l de trows, that fiends an' ftiries be 
fme tbe dcit (o fleetcli us to our ill; 
re hoe tint their milk wi' evil ce, 
=ani hceu Bcouder'd on Ihe glowiu' kill. 
ipa tlu% my friends, but ratlier mourn. 
tUf^s brawesl spiing, wi" reason clear ; 

pn our dolefu' days m' boimly fear ; 
nuod's oje cradled when the grave is nenr. 

■tt, indusTrioua, briles her latest days, 
ighagehersair-dow'd froutwi' runkleswiive, 
! the russet lap Ihe spindle pUyi), 

»' stent reels iibe bs weel's the lave, 
liiogs butkit braw, 



s b« heart u 



silei 



■Ml 



nn eleediu' on a darling oye : 

i' death should mak Ihe feast her foy. 

lelTDcfa yet tli 

■b BHdemaa a 

' canny lean tor weary bunes 
«is doylt upo' tlie weary leas. 
«ill Inudrons an' (he collie come, 
h«r tail, an' cast a tlionkl'u' ee 
1 kindly flings them mon? a tiutn 
ik wbaog'd, an' dninly Cadge, \n ^ 
I boon they crove, an' a' the too. 



Tak tent, case Cniminy tak her wontei 
An* ca' the laiglen*s treasure on ^e 
AVhilk spills a kebbuck nice, or yellt 

Then a* the house for sleep be^n to g 
Their joints to slack frae industry a 

The leaden god fa's heavy on their eei 
An hafflins steeks them frae their d 

The cruizy, too, can only blink and b) 
The reistit ingle's done the maist it 

Tacksman an' cottar eke to bed maun 
Upo' the cod to clear their drumly 
Till waken'd by the dawnin's rudd 

Peace to the husbandman, an* a' his 
Whase care fells a* our wants frae 

Lang may his sock and cou'ter turn 
An' banks o' corn bend down wi' 

May Scotia's simmers aye look gay f 
Her yellow hairsts frae scowry bis 

May a' her tenants sit fu* snug an* I 



■• — 



IOtJSS0»'S POEMS. 



yeBurghen! ane Br 
lookM for-B come at 1. 
; your bocks held ui t 



1^ 



ct»p jour wingB an' craw, 
' isk ilk fiikthpr, 

pasi'd a law, 

Wi' drink thir dajx. 

iDgmygiii 



'pps ! quo* John, 
iDt ye dinnii't «pii 
"le barber gae' 



i: 



I Triiz, 



purildi, lasiie Uii! 
tark and graval ; 
iv'a Ibe Deacon is, 
ks affidavit 
O* failh the daj-. 

If gauD [cries ueebouT Bess) 

\e gayly bodiii, 

d wig, weel syndet face, 
tbr bamely hodin?" 
^ nu una' drink, yaa'H goOai 
;«> any muircock, 
I mek a Deacon, luk^ 
~i qieak lo poor (ouk. 

-Like ua the daj." 



Till, in a birn, beneath the crook, 
They're singit wi' a scowder 

To death that day. 

The canty cobbler quats his sta*, 

His reset an' his lingans ; ^ 
His buik has dree'd a sair, saur fa*, 

Frae meals o' bread an' ingans. 
Now he's a pow o' wit and law, 

An' taunts at soles an' heels ; 
To Walker's he can rin awa, 

There whang his creams an' jeels 
Wi' life that day. 

The lads in order tak their seat ; 

(The deil may claw the clungest 
They stech an' connach sae the me 

Their teeth mak mair than tongi 
Their claes sae cleanly tight an' fea 

An' eke their craw-black beaver 



S'BHGUSSON S POEMS. 

Quo' Deacon, " Let the toast rouni 

Come — Here's our Noble Sel's 

Weelmetthedny!" 



wai, 



I Weels-meo' drink, qi 

My barrel has been geyz'ti aye, 
I An' hafna golton sea fill. 

Sin' foa on Hansel- Te;»lB;.— 
But maksna — now il"s got a sweel ; 

Ae gird I shanna cast, lad ', 

Or elH I whfa (he hora'd dcil 

May Wm wi- kittle eajit dad 

To hell the day! 

The magislralcs fu' wily are, 

Their lamps are ga;1y blinkin' ; 
But Ihey migTit as lieve burn elsenlii 

When fouk'i bKnd fou wi' drinkii 
Our Deacon wadna ca' a chair — 

TTiB foul ane durst him nn-say ! — 
He took shanks- luug — but, fient ma] 

He aralias kiss'd the cawsty 

V,T bir that night 



He fit's 


where Wil 


■»w 


fe'slyin';- 


WiUeom 




itb« 


fout. 


Henw 


Jock thcr 


bef 


re him; 


Wl'maiau 


r laiglen, 


kea 


brock. 


He did 


wi- stink n 


aibt 


more him, 




Fu- St 


aog 


thai uight. 



7»«i *■ a fioupic leotliem willing 
He gait liiem fidge aa' gitn aje. 



There passed nae bonny 
*Tween thei 

Now, had some laird his h 

In sic unseemly courses 
It might hae lowsM the hi 

Wi* law-suits and divor* 
But the neist day they a* 8 

An* ilka crack did sowc 
While Meg for drink her 

For a* the gudeman co' 
Whan fou 

Glowr round the cawsey, 

What mobbin* an* wha 

. Here, politicians bribe a 

Against his saul for vo 

The gowd that inlakes ha 

Thir blades lug out to 

They pouch the gowd, ii< 

For weights an* scales 

Exact thai 




Igmu t that troke in docton' itufi; 

m wind; biBWi Ibeir &tBtilsclt» puff, 
liej'll need tuith pitli and [ilusters : 
diODgh, e'en now, Ihey look right bhtf, 
Eo driuks, ere liillocks mttt, ' 
I tup some deacons in a Imfr, 
tnv'd i' the laog leet 

O' ieatb yon niehL 



HE TROK-EIRK BBLI.. 

KmanT, cruy, dinsDme thing, 
jtor wai framed to jow or ring ! 
~it'd them sic in eteepU hing, 
Thej ken ihemeel ; 



leil are ye? ihBi 
[e pig, nor niah 



Tiian stioke o* thee, 

Vnercbuits may look Lauld, I trow. 
Aula ileekie'9 cliildvr now 

Thy sound to boug^ 

tp it frae gaun througb an' ■Ok^ou^ 

■Wi' jacrin' Wung,. 



Wi' seiuc&voo » 

! were I Provost o* the towi 

1 swear by a* the powers abooc 
I*d bring ye wi* a reesle down 

Nor 8hou*d you 
(Sae sair I*d crack an* clour y( 
Again to clink. 

For, when I*ve toom*d the me 
An* fain wou*d fa* owre in a n 
Troth, I cou'd doze as sound*! 

Were*t no for tl 
That gies the tither weary cha] 

To wauken me 

I dreamt, ae night, I saw Av 
Quo* he,—" This bell o* mini 
A wily piece o* politic, 

A cunnin* sna 
To trap fouk in a cloven sticl 

Ere they're av< 



• nni 



'*« mv dautit bell hin( 



FERGUSSDM S FOBMS. 

fleg wi' anti-melody 



, for fraa thee the bailies d»<n, 

the foul tbieThii riven bell, 

bjirn^ bauds, '> The dt;il hiiniel 
Has got hiti due. " 



r OF PLAINSTANES 



SJeriinlaid Auld Reekie's cnwsej, 
mode her o' his wark ri^lit saiicf, 
pwiaus Street nil' gudr Plain statici 
never kend to crack but anei ; 
iL bappen'd on llie hiader nigh^ 
Ftaser'i ' ulzic lint its light. 
ightand seutries nauB were waukin 
or their cronies glibly laukin; 
lem this wander might bse rolfen, 
like night robbery, been forgotten, 
■ acBdle, ni' bis tanlern, 
g[eg eneugb lo hear tbeca bant'rin', 



lejoke, 
laluHiu spcike. 
or foe the limii*. 



IMy friend ! thir hunder yean 
We've been forfoughen late a 
In sunshine an' in weety wea 
Our thrawart lot we bure thej 
I never growl'd, but was con 
When ilk ane had an equal st 
But now to flyte I'se e'en be 
When I'm wi' sic a grievance 
How haps it, say, that mealy 
Hair-kaimers, crieshy gizzy-i 
Shou'd a' get leave to waste t 
Upo' my beaux' an' ladies' si 
My travellers are fley'd to dei 
Wi' creels wanchancy, heap'c 
Frae whilk hing down uncani 
That aften gie the maidens si 
As mak them blithe to screen 
Wi' hats an' muckle maun b< 
An' cheat the lads that fain v 
The glances o' a pawky ee, 

Or crip thpJr Invoc a wi\v wini 



Weel croclcil. friem) !— It all Iiauda tiuei] 
'Bout naelhing Tout mak mBiat ado. 
Weel kcD ye, tbough yc daughtna tell, 
I pa; the sairot Lain mj^sel. 
Owre mo, ilk day, big waggons rumble, 
An' a' my fabric birae and jumble. 
Oirre me Ihe luuckle horses gullop, 
Eneogh to rug my very snul up ; 

While down the sUeet Ihcir nboels arc splnain'. 
Like ihee, do I not bide the brunt 
O' Highland cbalnuEu's Iieaiy duni ? 
Tet I hae never thought o' breathing 
Cocuplaint, or makin' din for naetbing. 



Hand sae, an' lei me get a word in ; 

Your back's best fitted for Ihe burden -■ 

An' I ean eilhly tell joii why ; — 

Ye're doughtier by far than I : 

For whinitanca houkit ftae the Craigs 

May thole the prancin' feet o' naig^ 

Not ever fear uncanny botches 

Frae clumsy carls or hackney eoachea ; 

Whila I, a weak an feckles. creature, 

Am moulded by a safter nature. 

Wi* mowD's ehi*el dighled nent. 

To gar me look bailli vieaii an' feet, 

1 mrec can heai a sairer Ihuinp 

Tlian comes free sole of iboe or pump. | 

I grant, indeed, that now nn' then, 

YkH to B patlen'a (litll I maun ; 

Ktra, though they're nften plenty, 
bud down wi' ftrt fu' Wntj ■, 



— o- 



That does my skin to tar 
But if I guess aright, m^ 
To fend fhie skaith the b 
To keep the baimies free 
When airin* i* their nurs 
To be a safe an* canny b 
For growin* youth or dn 
Tak then frae me the 
O* burden-bearers heavy 
Or, by my troth, the gud 
Hae this affair before the 

CAWSZ 

I dinna care a single jot, 
Though summon'd by a 
Sae l^ly 1*11 propone dt 
As get ye flung for my e 
Your Jibel 1*11 impugn u 
An* hae a magnum damt 
For though frae Arthur's 
An' am in con$titution si 
Wou'd it no fret the han 



FBROUSSON's poems. 155 

jver yet were kend to range 
arlie^s Statue or Exchange, 
ak your beaux an' macaronies ; 
e trades* fouk an' country Johnies ; 
}il*s in*t gin ye dinna sign 
«ntiments conjunct wi* mine. 

FLAINSTANES. 

e twa cou'd be as auldfarrant 
' the Council gie a wamnt, 
in rebellious to tak 
valks no i* the proper track, 
three shillings Scotish suck him, 
the water-hole sair douk him ; 
light assist the poor's collecti<Mi, 
e baith parties satisfaction. 

CAWSET. 

'St, I think, it will be good 
Dg it to the Bobinbood,* 
I we sail hae the question stated, 
*en an' crabbitly debated,— 
ler the provost an* the baih'es, 
e town's gude whase daily toil is, 
I listen to our joint petitions, 
e obtemper'd the conditions. 

FLAINSTANES. 

nt am L^But east the gate is 
m, wha taks bis leave o' Thetis, 
)mes to wauken honest fouk, 
^g to wark at sax o'clock, 
us to be dumb a while, 
t our words gie place to loW. 

ttiDg »o<Aetj i afterwards called OdeTttoAi^'^* 



A DRINK EC 



LANDLADY, BRANDT, 



On auld worm-eaten skelf, i 
Where hearty benders synd 1 
Twa chappin bottles bang*d 
Brandy the tane— the tither 
Grew cankered ; for the twe 
An' het-skinn'd fouk to flyt 
The Frenchman fizz*d, an* 
While paughty Scotsman 
yield. 

BRANS 

Black be your fa*, ye cottai 
Blawn by the porters, chaii 
Hae ye nae breedin*, that ] 
Against my sweetly gusted 
I*ve been near pawky coui 
Hae ca'd hysterics frae the 
An* courtiers aft gaed grei 
To gar them bauldly glow 

•m ; — t. f.^ Vwinor mishai 




WC Ibougbls like Ibi 
dunt: 

Tbe nwld's now cbnug'd ; ils no like use ac 

1iere, woe's me ! thciF's noulher lord nor loird 
Come* to get burt-soid true their stiunick skar'd. 
■Jlae mair your couniir louns will shaw their U 
For they glowr eery at a friend's disgrace. 
But heasa your beort up : 
The patriot's ibnippia vi 
TiThen chalnnaii, weary wi' biS doily gsin, ' 
Can aynd his whistle wi' ibe dcnr Chnii ' 
Be hopcfti', for the time will soon iqw round. 
What you'll nac langei dwall bcucaifa the grauail. 



Wmwordy gowk ! did" 1 sne afcen shine 
Wi' gowden glister tlirau^ (be crystal fine. 
To Ihole your taunts, t)iat wenil bae been seen 
Awo &Be luggie, quegh, or Inincher trecin ; 
Gif honour wou'd but let, a cballenge shou'd 
Twine ye o" Highland tongue an' iGgbland blude ; 
Wi' cairds like thcc I Bcotn to file ay thumb; 
Pot ^nlle spitila gentle breedin' doom. 



Truly. I think it rigbl you get your alms; 
Your bigh heart humbled amang common di 
Bmw days for you, when fools, newfangle fa 
Ufce ilher countries belter than tbeir oin : 
Foi there, ya never mw sic chancy days, 
Sc balls, auemblies, opens, or plays. 
Huue-owie, langsyne, you bae been blithe li 
Tour a' upon a sarkless sodger's bikck- 
¥CK jou, Ihir lads, as weel lear'd Iravellen li 
Hul sell'd Ibcir sacks, gin sarks they'd bad I 
But worth gets poortith, an'bloeic bumin' i 
To dnunt an' driW out a life at hi 



I*m no frae Turkey, Italy, o 
For, now, our gentles* gabs i 
At tbee they tout, an* never 
Witness ; — ^for tfaee they faeig 
An* fill their lands ^* poort 
Gar them owre seas for chea 
An* leave their ain as bare*s 

BRANDT, 

Though lairds tak toothfu*s o 
This dwines not tenants* gea 
For love Xo you, there's mon^ 
Bare-arsed an* barefoot owre 
For you, nae mair the thrifty 
Her lasses kirn, or birze the < 
Crummie nae xamx for Jenny 
Wi' milkness dreepin* frae he 
For you, owre ear* the ox his 
An* fa's a victim to the bluid 

WHISKY. 

Wha is't that gars the ffreedv 



PERGtrSSOH S POEMS. 



Be lome poor putt, owre as poor a [ 

burgher politician, Ibai itnlicucs 
s longue in thee, an' reads the clMtin 
It, wBc's hesn for ;ou ! Chat far aje m 

poet's guret, or in chainnan'i cell, 
bila I ^mll jet on bien-clad tables slui 
iiidea wi' a' the dunlltlis o* the land. 



itb, I bae lieen. ere now, the poet's Oaiae, 
' hees'd his snngs to raony blithsome thane. _ 
IB voB't gar'd Allic's cbaunler chirm fu' clear; 
*e lo the saul, an' music lo the ear? 
e su-eani but kena, an' can rtpcat the lay 
ekit on the Simmer brae. 



It, here's the BrQ«9ler wife ; and shi 

ha'a won the day, an' wha shtiu'd hear the bdt, 
u> done your din, lUi" let her judgment join 
final verdict 'twiit your plea an' mine. 



1 dayi o- yore. 



- ..i" dnlefu' gaugers o 
-H-dajTE, we're blithe i 



, . the thrift 

license an" eiciae to lift. 

■koa a' brandy we ran soon supply 

■bbky tinttur'd wi' the safTion'u dye. 
"RU jre your hreedin' ihreep, ye mongrel louti ^ 

' 1— -J — ' lifjuoT dyod to colour t-™-" > 



Bambaz*d, he loups frae s 
Fley'd to be seen amang i 



TO THE PRINCIPAL 

Of the Universitt/ of St ^ 
treat to Dr Sam 

St Andrew's Town may 

Nae grass will grow upoi 

Nor wa'-flower o' a yelk 

Glowr dowie owre her n 

Sin* Samy's head weel p 

Has seen the Alma Matt 

Regents ! my winsome b 

'Bout him you've made i 

Nae doubt, for him youi 

To find him upon Eden 

An' a' things nicely set 

Wad keep him on the F 

I*se warrant, now, frae 



PBHQUSSOlt B POEMS. 

bear, my iadal gin I'd been khere, 
I'd bHG Irimm'd tlie bill d' Cite > 
'er sic surly wight as he 
; wi' iic respeci frae mo. 
what Sbiui ibe lying lonn! 
I bis Bictiooar laid dawn? 
Ii, in England, are a Teast 
on' burse, an' Mcken lieoil ; 
in Bcols ground, this growth was cor 
t die gab o' man nu' nnmnn. 
Dt, yo regents ! then, an' bear 
I a' gudely hameil gear, 
Dae often rttx'd the wame 



rfolloH 









oudy, souple, 3 

IT Mood on Samy-s shank. 
rimut then, a ba^gls fat, 
Dttled in a leethin' pal, 

' ' ^ It weel ca'd through, 
e1p'd to gust the stiirah's mou, 

id itsel in Iruncher tlean 

IB gilpy'i glowriu eon. 
mdo, Ihen, a ^de alieep'abead, 
iliide was singil, n 



[bbcklr 



rsdadw 



o hinle. 



^k ye, neist, n' gude fat 
^^ his ribs? a dainty d«e ! 

itt an' bluidy puddings routh, 
Ibe DnOor riiirl a' drouth ; 



max wau uuv gm u ms gn 
Not to " Roast Beef,'* • ol 
But to the auld " East No 
Where Craillian crafts cou 
Skate-rumples to hae clear 
Then, neist, when Samy*s 
He'd lang'd for skate to ir 

Ah, willawins for Scotls 
When she maun stap ilk b 
Wi' eistacks, grown, as *t^ 
In foreign land, or green- 
When cog o* brose, an' ci 
Is a' your cottar childer's 1 
Who, through the week, i 
Toil for pease- cods an' gu 

Devall then, Sirs, an' r 
For dainties to regale a fri 
Or, like a torch at baith ei 
Your house will soon grov 

What's this, I hear som 
Robin, ye loun ! it's nae i 
Is there nae ither subject i 
To clap your thumb upon 
Gie owre, young man ! y( 



rru. 



FERGUSSON S POEMS. 

Your shmithers yet may gie a launder. 
Am" be o" verse Ihe mal-confimnder. 

Come on, je blitdes ! but, ere ye tul: 
Or hack our flesh wi' sword or gullie, 
Ne'er sbaw your leech, nor look like al' 
Nor onre an empty bicker blink : 
What weeta the wizen an" the wan 
Will mend your prose, an' heal my rhyinu 



IhuTH ! what'a ado ? the ddl-be-licket. 
Or wi" your stang you ne'er had prieltel, 
Or our auld ^ma Mater tricket 

O' |ioor John Hogg, 
An' MBil'd him ben through your mark w 

As deads' it log. 

HCim ilka glaikit echolor loun 
May dander wae wi' duJdy gown ; 
Kate Kennedy* to dowi<? cnine 



• A bell in ttie cullEffe Bti>cnrc, 
he tlUFenlty. 



"When Regents met at commc 
He taught auld Tam to hafl t 
An* eident to row right the b 

Like ony en 
He kept us a* within the rule 

Strict acadei 

Heh! wha will tell the stude 
To meet the Pauly cheek for 
When he, like frightsome wi 

Had wont 1 

An* set our stamacks in a lo^ 

Or we turn 

Ah, Johnny ! aften did I gr 
Frae cozy bed fu* ear* to tui 
When art an* part I*d been 

Troth, I V 
His words they brodit like a 

Frae ear tc 



"WTiPn T had been fu* laith t 



rEnGussoH's pobus. 

He died proTerbs, one by one, 

ttkvice toiDmc; 

He gBi'd ilk anner sigh nn' grosn, 

An' ftar hell's flame. 

•' I hae nae meikle skiU, (quo' lie) 

In what you ca' philosopby ; 

It tells, that bKitli the esnh an' sea 

Kin round about ; 
Either the Bible tells a lie, 

Or ye're a' out. 

'■ It's i' the Ponlms o' Da.id writ. 
That this wide wirld ne'er shou'd flit. 
But on the waters cosily jit 

Fn' sleeve an' laatin' ; 
And wunB be a bead □' wit 

At DC contestin'?" 



On e'enin's cauld wi' j 
To beu our shins in J< 
The deil ane thought ti 

To dav hel pints « 



e we'd trudge 
nny's lodge j 



O' molaiimu. 

Stf, yc red gnrni ! Ihat nften, here, 
Hae touted enltes lo Katie's beer, 

>r thir dnyt hae h&d their peer, 
Sae blilhi^, sac daft? 
B Tan'll ne'er again, in lifc'-i career, 
* Sit hair sae soft. 

it locks, sae amooih on' sleek, 
Ijehn loob'd Ube ouy ancient Greek ; 
|Bb was a Nai'rene a' the neek. 

An' doughttu tell out 



-o — * 



** What recks, though ye ken 

A hiuigi^ 

For gowd wad wi' them baith 

At ony til 

" Te ken what ails maun aye 
Tlie chiel that will be prodigi 
When wasted to the very spai 

He turns 
(For want o* comfort to his s{ 

To hungi 

Ye royit louns ! just do as he* 
For mony braw green shaw a 
He's left to cheer his dowie v 

His wins 
That to him prov*d a canny s 

Baith eai 



F£R6USS0K*S POEMS. 167 



THE GHAISTSy 

A KIRK-TARD ECLOGUE. 

Did you not aay, in good Anne*8 day. 

And vow, and did protest. Sir, 
That when Hanover should come o'er. 

We surely should be blest. Sir ? 

An avid sang made new again. 

E&E the braid planes in dowie murmurs wave 
ir ancient taps out-owre the cauld-clad grave, 
sre Geordie Girdwood, mony a lang spun day, 
ikit for gentles* banes the humblest clay, 
i sheeted gfaaists, sae grizly an* sae wan, 
ng lanely tombs their dovdF discourse began. 

WATSON. 

Id blaws the nippin* North wi* angry sough, 
showers his hailstanes frae the CasUe Cleugh 
re the Grayfriars, where, at mirkest hour, 
;les an* spectres wont to tak their tour, 
'lin' the pows an* shanks to hidden cairns, 
ang the hemlocks wild, an* sun- burnt ferns ; 
nane the night, save you an* I, hae come 
e die drear mansions o* the midnight t<mib. 
r when the dawnin*s near, when cock maun 

craw, 
wi* his angry bougil gar*s withdraw, 
»nt the kirk we*ll stap, and there tak bield, 
ile the black hours our nightly freedom yield. 

HE&IOT. 

weel content : but binna cassen down, 
trow the cock will ca* ye hame owre soon \ 

H 



Nature has chang*d her cc 
Dozin* in silence on the b 
While owlets round the ci 
I ' An* bluidy hawks sit sing 

Ah, Caledon ! the land I 
Sair maen mak I for thy < 
An* thou, Edina ! ance xn 
When royal Jamie sway*d 
In thae blest days, weel d 
To blaw thy poortith by v 
To mak thee sonsy seem i 
An' gar thy stately turret! 
In vain did Dani^ Jones 
In Gothic sculpture fret t 
In vain did he affix my st 
Brawly to busk wi* flowei 
My towers are sunk ; my 
My fame, my honour, like 

WITS 

Sure, Major Weir, or som 
Has flung beguilin* glam< 

Or oleo ertmo Iriftia nnnfnr 



TEHQDSSOH S PQKMS. 



'Cnt (nj wdl-B-dajr in rain ; 
ye ibc cikuse, ye sure wad join tn]' mutn. 
Ihe duf, Ibat c'ci to Euglanil's ground 
was eitit by ibe Union's bond ! 
y a mETixie of destructire ills 
lunUf now maun brook Irae tnartmain h 
oid our test'menls, an' ciat ftee^J gfe 
' scoup to Ihe ordoio'd trustee, 
■y tir our stateliest riggings bare, 
btjuacs, wood^ nor firJxings spore, 
I lend the slollerin slate a lift, 
in gawpini, aa a graasum gii) ; 
whiU, we msuo be veel content 
« the capital for three per cenli — 
ghly sum, indeed ; when now-a-dajs 
roviaiona as the steals they raise j 
ge poor, an' let the rich cliiets be 
n^d at case by ithere' industry. 

interest for my fund caa scantly now 
my calluiis' backs, an' slap their nwi 
Lun their wamca wi' sairest hunger slack 
duds in targets flalTupon iheu' back j 
ley are doom'd to keep a laslin' lent, 
for England's weel al three per cent/ 



iUs, II 

I 



Reekie, then, may blea tJie gowden times,' 
honesty and poortitb baith are crimi 
lie ken'd, when jou an' I cndon'd 
wpitals for back-gBun burghers' gui 
'er our siller or our lands, should br 
e tnen livin' to a back-gsun king; 

thanks lo HTmislry ! is grown sae w 




I ; His gear maua a* be scatt 

O* ruthless, ravenous, an '. 

i Tet should I think, althor 

*. ' The council winna lack ss 

As let our heritage at wan 

Or the succeeding general 

O* braw bien maintenance 

Whilk, else, had drappit t 

For mony a deep, an mon 

Hae sprung frae Heriot's 

mine. 

HERI 

I find, my friend, that ye 
There's e*en now on the e 
Wha, if they get their pri\ 
Giena a windle-strae for a 
They'll sell their country, f 
To gar the weigh -bauk tui 
«? The Government need on] 

Wi' the prevailin* flie — ^th 
Then our executors, an* m 
Will seU them fishes in fo 



febgusson's poems. ITlJ 

Stall lay yird-laigb Edins's air; cpires : 

IVeed sbsU rjp rowtin down his banlci ODt-owT«y'| 

tW Scotland's out o' reach o' England's power, 

E^OD tbc briD7 Boreiin jnns to float, 

fit' maum in dowie soughs h«r doiria lot. 



tonder'B the tomb o' wise Matkemie tam'd, 
Wbaae laws rebellious bigotry reclBim'd ; 
heed die hale laud o' covenaalin' fools. 
Ilia em bae fasb'd us wi' unnumber'd dools, 
nU oigbt, we'll tsk the swaird aboon our paws, 
in" (hen, whan slie her ebon chariot rowi, 
ffe'll travel to Iha fau't wi' stealin' stap. 
la' waufc JlBckeniie frae bis quiet nap j 
Tell hiin our ails, that he, wi' wanted skill, 
\/Iaj flegthe schcmeis o' the Mortmaia Bill. 



>ISTLE TO MB ROBEBT FERGUSSC 

U Allan riten frae the dead, 
Wha «ft has lun'd the alien reed, 
An' by Ihe Muses was derreed 

To grace the thistle? 
N(t— Fergusson's come in his stead. 

To blaw the whistle. 

Id troll), my callant ! I'm sae fain 
To read your somy, canty sirmn ; 
You write sic easy style, an' plain. 



L 



To f 01 

Hale be your heart, ye 
} \ May ye ne*er want a gi 

: ; An* sic sude cakes as & 

An* a 
That grows or feeds up 

An* ¥ 

• But ye, perhaps, thirst : 

Than a* the gude thing 
An* then, ye will be fa: 

Myg 
For that ye needna gae 

You*^ 

. f- 

Sae saft an* sweet your 
\ An* your auld words si 

* Twill gar baith marric 

Ton 
When we forgather ro\ 

We'll 

Whpn T nfftan Auld B 



FERGUSSON'S POEMB. 173 

I'se tak ye up Tweed's bonny side 
^ Before ye settle, 

An* shawyou there the fisher's pride, 

A sa*mon kettle. 

There, lads an* lasses do conveen. 
To feast an* dance upo* the green ; 
An* there sic bravery may be seen 

As will confound ye, 
An* gar you glowr out baith your een 

At a* around ye. 

To see sae mony bosoms bare, 
An* sic huge puddings i* their hair, 
An* some o* Uiem wi* naething mair 

Upo* their tete ; 
Tea, some wi* mutches that might scare 

Craws frae their meat. 

I ne*er appear*d before in print, 
But, for your sake, wad fain be in*t, 
E*en that I might my wishes hint 

That you*d write mair ; 
For sure your head- peace is a mint 

Where wit*s no rare. 

Sense fa* me, gif I hadna lure 

I cou*d command ilk Muse as sure, 

Than hae a chariot at the door 

To wait upo* me ; 
Though, poet-like, I*m but a poor 

Mid-Lothian Johnny. 

J. S. 
Bermclc, jiugust 31. 1773. 



Bu 

« J turn sae tooi 

^» «• your butteWd "^. 

In va 

Je mak my Muse a da 
^"' gm she cou-d likf 

^'■'% -ad I ,e .-n^^lJ 

-A pint 



FERGUSSON's poems. 175 

Or blusb, as gin she bad the youk 

Upo* her skin, 
When Ramsay or when Pennycuik 

Their lilts begin. 

At mornin* ear*, or late at e'enin*, 
Gin ye sud hap to come an* see ane, 
Nor niggard wife, nor greetin' wee ane, 

Within my cloyster, 
Can challenge you an* me frae priein* 

A caulerDyster. 

Hecb, lad ! it wou*d be news indeed 
Were I to ride to bonny Tweed, 
Wha ne'er laid gammon owre a steed 

Beyont Lysterrick ; 
An* auld shanks-naig wou*d tire, I dread. 

To pace to Berwick. 

You crack weel o* your lasses there ; 
Their glancin* een, an* brisket bare ; 
But, tho* this town be smeekit sair, 

I'll wad a farden, 
Than ours there's nane mair fat an* fair, 

Cravin* your pardon. 

Gin Heaven shou*d gie the earth a drink, 

An* afterhend a sunny blink ; 

Gin ye were here, I'm sure you'd think 

It worth your notice. 
To see them dubs an* gutters jink 

Wi* iultit coaties. 



An* £ne ilk corner o* the na^on 
We've lasses eke o* recreaUon, 

H3 



.» 



( 



'wa 4 1 AC %A 

A' hor 



• ' TW^ queans are aye upo 

i ) For pursie, pocket-book, 

An can sae gUb their lex 

Ye canna eithly meet the 

*Tween 

For this gude sample o' 5 
I m restin* you a pint o* ' 
-By an' attour a Highlanc 

The which to come an'^w 

I here ir 

Though jillet fortune scow 

A °i P "® ^''*® a bien b 
As lang's I've twopence i* 

T . . ^'^ «ye b 

i opart a fadge or girdle f 

Wi'Loth 



FERGUSSON's FOEMS. 177 



TO MY AULD BREEKS. 

Now gae your wa*s— Though ance as gude 

As erer happit flesh an* blude, 

Yet part we maun.— The case sae hard is 

Axnang the writers an* the bardies, 

That lang they*!! bruik the auld, I trow, 

Or neebours cry, " Weelbruilt the new !*' 

Still makin* tight, wi* tither steek, 

Tlie tither hole, the tither eik. 

To bang the bir o* winter*s anger. 

An* haud the hurdies out o* langer. 

£Uclike some weary wight wiU fill 
His kyte wi' drogs frae doctor*s bill, 
Thinkin' to tack the tither year 
To life, an* look baith hale an* fier, 
Till, at the lang-run, death dirks in, 
To birze his saul ayont his skin. 

You needna wag your duds o* clouts, 
Nor fa* into your dorty pouts, 
To think that erst you*ve hain'd my tail 
Frae wind an* weet, frae snaw an* hail. 
An* for reward, when bald an' hummil, 
Frae garret high to dree a tummiL 
For you I car*d, as 1ang*s ye dow*d 
Be lin*d wi* siller or wi* gowd : 
Now to befriend, it wad be folly. 
Your raggit hide, an* pouches holey ; 
For wha but kens a poet*s placlcs 
Get mony weaiy flaws an* cracks, 
Ad' canna tbole to hae them tint. 
As be sae seenil sees the mini? 



Then we despise, an' hae for 
Yet, gratefu' hearts, to ma 
Will aye be sorry for their ft 
An' I for thee ;— as mony a 
Wi* you I've speel'd the bra 
Where, for the time, the mu 
For siller, or sic guilefu' wai 
Wi' whilk we drumly grow, 
Dour, capemoited, thrawin-{ 
An' brither, sister, friend, an 
Without remeid of kindred. 
You've seen me round the b 
Wi' heart as hale as temper' 
An' face sae open, free, an' 1 
Nor thought that sorrow the 
But the niest moment this v 
Like gowan in December's i 
Cou'd prick-the-louse but 
As mak Uie breeks an' claes 
Tlirough thick an' thin wi' ; 
Nor mind the folly o' the fa; 
But, hech ! the times' vicissu 
Gars ither breeks decay, as 3 
Thp mnrarnnips. hraw an* w 




FERGUSSON S POEMS. 

For this, mair Tau'ls nor joun can 9cre< 
Frae lover's ijuickesc sense, bis een. __ 

Or if some bard, in luclEy rimes, 
fibou'd profit meikJc by his rhymes. 
An' pace bwb, ni' smirk; face, 
In mller or in gawden Isce, 
Glmrr in hie fsce, like spectre gaunt, 
Beioiiid him o' his former wont 
To ODW hU daffin' an' lu's pleasure, 
An' gar him live within the miiasure. 

So Philip, it b said, who wou'd ring 
Owie Mnccdon a just and gude king, 
FMiing Ihal power might plume his fee 
An' bid him stretch heyant the lether, 
nk monuDg to his lug nou'd cs' 

To Mil bim to iuiprove bis span. 
For Philip was, like him, a man. 



ACLD REEKIE. 

AuLD Reekii ! wale o' ilka lotm 
That Scotland kens beneath the mi 
Where eoolhy chislds at e'enin' mc 
^^leir tdzxin croigs au' mous to we^ 
An' blithly garauld car« gae by 
Wi" blinkin nn' wi' blecrin eje. 
Owre long frse thee tlie Muse iian beeal 
Sae frisky on the Simmer's green, 
When flowt-ri an' gowans wont to glen 
In bonny blink? upo' *he bent-, 
Bal oow Ibe leaves o' yullon d;e. 
JW'rf ftau the branches, qiucWy flv" ■ 



Unfleggit by the year a «*« 

Not Boreas, that sae sneUy blows. 
Dare here pop in his angry nose ; 
Thanks to our dads, whase biggin stanc 
A shelter to surrounding lands ! 

Now Morn, wi' bonny purple smiles 
Kisses the air-cock o' Saunt Giles ; 
Rakin their een, the servant lasses 
Early begin their lies an* clashes. 
Ilk tells her friend o* saddest distress 
That still she bruiks frae scoulin mistrc 
An' wi' her joe, in turnpike stair, 
She'd rather snuff' the stinkin' air, 
As be subjected to her tongue, 
When justly censur'd i' the wrong. 

On stair, wi' tub or pat in hand, 
The barefoot housemaids lo'e to stanc 
That antrin fouk may ken how snell 
Auld Reekie ^vill at momin' smell : 
Then, wi' an inundation big as 
The burn that 'neath the Nor' Loch 
"" -Viower Edina's roses, 



FERGUSSOK S POEMS. 



I jVfffrae his plnidic or hUrauld. 



Jn LuctenboothB, w 



in ^ou'd dander Uien 



When Phoebus blinks ' 



. DOOD-day get the play, 

I'ness, weighty bi 






The trader glowrs— -he doubts, he bums. 
The lawyers eke to Croaa rcpar, 
Their wigs to ^atr, an* tews an air; 
While buKy agent closely plies, 
An' a' bic kittle cases tries. 

Now night, that's cuDsied chieTfor fun, 
I* wi' her usual Htes begun ; 
Through ilka gate the torches blaie, 
An' globes send out theic hlinkin' rays. 
The uaefu" cadie plies in street, 
To bide the jirolits o' his feet; 
For. by Ihir lads Auld Reekie's fouk 
Ken but a saiople a' the stock 
O' thieves, that nightly wad oppress, 
An' mok boith good; an' gear the less. 
Near turn (he lity chairman stands, 

Itll nnue daft birkie, raniin' fou. 
Has matters eomewhere else to do j — 
Hie ch^nnan willing gies his light 
To deeds o' darkness an' o' night. 

r Gaipeoce for a lift 
Ttuugars Ibir lads wi' founess ritt ; 



[ 



Stands she, that beauty lang £ 
Whoredom her trade, an* vice 
But, see where now she wins 
By that which nature ne'er di 
And vicious ditties sings to ph 
Fell dissipation's votaries. 
Whene'er we reputation loae^ 
Fair chastity's transparent glo 
Redemption seenU kens the n 
But a's black misery and shan 
Frae joyous tavern, reelin* < 
Wi' fiery phiz, an' een half su 
Behold the bruiser, fae to a' 
That in the reek o' gardies fa' 
Close by his side, a feckless r 
O' macaronies show their fac 
An' think they're free frae sb 
While pith befriends their let 
Yet fearfu' aften o' their ma< 
They quit the glory o' the fa 
To this same warrior, wha le 
Thae heroes to bright honou 
An' aft the hack o' honour t 
Tn bruiser's face wi' broken 




FERQDSaON S POEMS. 1' 

Hech ! what a frigbL be aow appears. 

When he hb corpse dgecCed tenrai 

Look al that bead, and think if there 

The pomEt staialcr'd up his: hair ■ 

The cheeks observe : — Where now cou'd ihin 

The sconcin' glories o' carmine ? 

&lii leg! i in rain the ailk-wonn there 

Displaj'd to view her eideat care ; 

for stink, instead of pcriumes, grow, 
An' clarty odours fragrant flow. 

to ilieir nife — and some their wench — 

Gais a' your trades goe donderin bame. 

nony a club, JDCDse an" free, 
Gie a' to merriment on' glee ; 

T song, an' glass, they fley the power 
>' care, that wad haniii the hour ; 

"ne an" Bucchua still bear down 
>ur dunwart fortnnc's wildest frown : 
[1 malts you stark, an' bauld, an' brsT^ 
Even when descending to the grare. 

Now some, in Pandemonium's shade,* 
''eauine the gormandizing trade; 
rhere eager looks, an' glancing een, 
'oreqitak a heart an' staniBck keen, 
ang on, my lads! it's lang sinsyne 
'e ken'd auld Epicurus' lin< 



eynu, tl 



idight wi' daintilhs to the sUesj 



arise, 



cDmfortfi □' a burning giJl- 

il chief, O Cape! ■ wo crave thy as 

et our cnrei and poortiih hiiJ. 

AndeniDiiIitnr and the Cape were iva uci^ ^^mXia- 



Kln^s-i^^ie wither -»i^e- 

Though joy maist part Aula 

eCJ she kens sad 8or^« 

mat group is yon f^^"^ 
Wi" horrid aspect, cleedm dm. 
Says Death, "•»«,« mme- 
T^methey-U quickly pay the 

How come mankind, when 
I„S«uUe-sf«=eth.jrteartst 

As if they were a clock to tel 
m grief in them had mng 

•Sen,whatism«n?-why» 

Life's spunk decay'd nae ma 
i^tsob^r grief alane<tedare 

Our fond anxiety an care , 
Nor let die undertakera DC 
^Te only waefU- Wends we 

Come on, my Muse 1 «» 

The gloomiest *«»« *" »J 
In mornings, when ane kee 
Fu- bUthe an- free f rae «al^ 
He Uppens no to be misled 
Amang the regions o the . 
- ? ,;„ht a. ojunted coi 



■•-»-<. x*«>n1< 



FSRGUSSON's poems. 185 

When Sibyl led the Trojan down 
To haggard Pluto's dreary town, 
Shapes waur nor thae, I freely ween, 
Could never meet the soger's een. 

If kail sae green, or herbs, delight, 
£dina*s street attracts the sight : 
Not Covent- Garden, clad sae braw, 
Mair fouth o* herbs can eithly shaw ; 
For mony a yard is here sair sought, 
Tliat kail an* cabbage may be bought, 
An* healthfu* sallad, to regale 
When pamper*d wi* a heavy meal. 
Glowr up Uie street in Simmer morn, 
The birlu sae green, an* sweet-brier thorn, 
Wi* spraingit flowers that scent the gale, 
Ca* far awa the momin* smell, 
Wi* which our ladies* flower-pat*s fill*d. 
An* every noxious vapour kill'd. 
O Nature ! canty, blithe, an' free. 
Where is there keeking-glass like thee ? 
Is there on earth that can compare 
Wi* Mary's shape, an' Mary's air. 
Save the empurpled speck, that grows 
In the saft fauld o' yonder rose? 
How bonny seems the virgin breast, 
When by the lilies here carest. 
An' leaves the mind in doubt to tell, 
Which nuust in sweets an* hue excel. 

Gillespie's snuff shou'd prime the nose 
O' her that to the market goes. 
If she wad like to shun the smells 
That float around frae market cells ; 
Where wames o' painches' sav'ry scent 
To nostrils gie great discontent 
Now, wha in Albion could expect 
0*deaB2iD€88 sic great neglect'^ 



On iSunua^, — 
O' men an* manners meets our cv^. 
Ane wad maist trow, some people ch< 
To change their faces wi' their clo'es 
An' fain wad gar ilk neebour think 
They thirst for gudeness as for drink 
But tliere's an unco dearth o* grac^ 
That has nae mansion but the face, 
An' never can obtain a part 
In benmost corner o* the heart. 
Why shou'd reh'gion mak us sad. 
If good frae virtue's to be had ? 
Na : rather gleefu' turn your face. 
Forsake hypocrisy, grimace ; 
An* never hae it understood 
You fleg mankind frae being good. 

In afternoon, a* brawly buskit, 
The joes an' lasses lo'e to frisk it. 
Some tak a great delight to place 
The modest bon-grace owre the ft 
Tliough you may see, if so inclin' 
"^^o, turning o' the leg behind. 



'^ -J^-. ««» *U« 13 



FERGUESON S POEMS. 

Let me to ArLbur's Seal pursue, 
Wbere bcnn}' psslutea meet (he Tiew ; 
An' inDDj- p wild-lorn scene accrues, 
BefiOiDg Willie SmkeBpcare's Muse, 
If Fancy there wou'd join the (hrwig, 
The desert mcks sn' hills omsng, 
To «4oes we should lilt an' play, 
An' gie to mirth the lice-tang day. 

Or thou'd some canker'J biting shanei 
Tbe daj an' a' ber aireets deSower, 
To Holyroodhouse lei me stray, 
An' pa to musing a' the day; 
Xdmenting wbat auld Scniland knew, 
Ken days for ever frae her view, 
O Hsmitton, for shBtne ! the Muie 
Wou'd poy to thee her coulhj vows, 
Gin ye wad tent the humble strau, 
"e's our dignity ngain ! 
b, wae'a me ! the Thistle sprinEa 
In domieil □' andenl kings, 
Wilbaut a patriot to regret 
Out palace, an' our aniient state. 

Bleia'd place ! where debtors daily run 
'o rid thenuels frae jail an' dun. 
lere, though seqnester'd frae tbe dlu 
Ilat rings Auld Reekie's ira's within ; 
f et they may tread the sunny braes, 
i' bruik Apollo's cheery rays : 
Dwr fi-ae St Anthon's grassy height, 
Owre tales in Simmer clacs bedigbl ; 
■ OTCT hing their head, I ween, 
jealous fear o' being seen. 
3I*J I, whmever duns come nigh. 






my gam 



Win «»"*fyf*Evy writer the 

-ie rich foufc • t^,okage " 
For na^**^ ?,°f To tbeir «ati« 

Dtutotnond,^,est bliss ' 
T° *'m ^e's tear shalV g« 

The sick ate j^rttei 

An- i'«''"*^orth wee*^ ^ 
Aslangasr hetbU 

AS lang s o" .j^ ^hase 
Saelangsb^^^^,egi« 
To thy '^'T^a Reekie t 
By thee.. AuW ^, ^hUde 




The spnclaus brig* neglictcd lies, 
Tliough plogu'd irt' psmpblcta, dunn'd wi 
They heed nol, though dcstrui ' 
To gulp us !□ her gAundng w 
Ob, sbame I that safety canna 
Protection from a Provost's nami 
But bidden darger lies behind, 



Ab tbink (hot either will or ar 
Shall get Ibe gale to win Iheii 
For politics are a' Ibcir mark, 
Bribes latent, an' corruption dark. 
If tbt'y can elLhly turn the pence, 
Wi' dly's good tliey will dispense ; 
Nor care though a' her sons were laii 
Ten fathom i' the auld lurk-jard. 

To Mng yet meikle docs renmin, 
Undecent for a mudest -strain ; 
An', since the poet's daily bread ia 
Hie Javour o' tlie Muse, or ladies, 
He downs like to gie aQbuce 
To delicacy's tender sense ; 
Tberefore llie stews remain unsung. 
An* bawds in silence drap their long 

Reekie, fiirewecl ! I ne'er cou'd port 
Wi' (hee, but wi' a dome heart; 
Aft frae the Fifan coast I've seen 
Thee towerin' on thy summit green ; 
So glo<*r the saints when first is given 
A fiitourite fceek o' glore an' heaven. 
On earth nae mair they bend their een, 
But quiek auume angelic mien : 
^ I on Fife wad glowr no more, 
Sui gsllop'il to Edina's shore. 
JB tUiuloa lo Ibc stateof tUc Noctti Bii4eBrfW!i"* 



▲ SATiaX. 

To all whom it may i 

Some fouk, like bees, fu' gl^ 

To bykes bang'd fu* o' stnfe 

An* thieve an' huddle, cnim 

Till they hae scrap*d the dau 

Then craw fell croudy o* th< 

Tell owre thdr turners, mar 

Yet darena think to lowse it 

To aid their neighbours' aih 

If gowd can fetter thus ti 

An' gar us act sae base a p8 

Shall man, a niggard, near-| 

Bin to the tether's end for i 

Learn ilka cunzied scoundr 

When a's done, sell his saul 

I trow they've coft the pure 

That gang sic lengths for w 

Now, when the dog-day 

To birsle an' to peal the sk 

May I lie streekit at my ea 

T^pnftath the cauler shady t 



FEItGUSSON S POEMS. 

ank Uie gods for what they've lent, 
O' health eneiigb, an' blithe conteitt, 
An' pilh, thDt helps them to ettsToig 
Dwre ilka cleygh, na' iJIta craig ; 
[7nkend lo b' the weary granes 
nut afl arise trae gentler banea, 
I eoKy-diair that pamper'd lie, 
i' baaefu' viands gusiit high ; 
i' turn an' fouid their weary clay, 
I rai an' gaunt the live-lang day. 
Ve sage* ! leli, was man e'er made 
f □ dree this halefu' stnggard intde, 
Bteekil frae nature's beauties a', 
'Siai duly on his presence ca' ; 
Lt home lo girn, an' whinge, an' pine 
tor fiivaurile dishes, favnucite wine? 
jome, then, shake off Ihir aluj^gish ties. 
*^' wi' the bird o' dawnin' ri'^e: 
_n ilka bank the cloud? line spread 
Vfi* btobs o' dew a pearly Led; 
ttnie fauldi nae ruair the ORHn rowt, 
9ut to the fattening t'lover lout. 



rnynkit li^ (heir winter's stent 
iDjoke (hen, man ! an' binna s 
"o ding a bole in ill-hain'd gea 
I think that did, wi' wily Ht. 



'hat's tiller for? Kient liae't ava t 

ul gowden playfair, that may please 

tie second sliarger till he dies. 

Some daft chlel rends, an' laks advic 

le chaise is yokit in n trice; 

wB drives be, lilie huDtit deil, 

I ' icarre liolea time la cool bis vh«6\. 



There rest nun ««• ,— -• 
Snare mony glaiUt gowks U 
^e7'U tell where Tiber's w. 

mat sea receives the drum! 
^ never wi-djeir feet ha. 

ihen»rcbeso'.he.ran^« 

The Amo an' the TiW ' 

Hae run fell clear in Roma 

But. save the reverence o s 

^Sey^ebaithbutUfelessd. 

Doueht they compare wi t 
AS clear as ony Uume^bej 
Or. are their shores mair s 
Than Fortha's haughs, or 1 
?Sough there the her^ c« 
'Mangthrivingvinesan 

An" blaw the reed to tottu 
^ile echo's tongue comi 
Ukeours, they^WK"™;;' 

Wi- simple, ^\^^fi 
On Leader haughs. an J 

Arcadian herds wou d tyt 
T^hear the mair melodic 
That live on our poetic g 



pehgusson s poems. 



Wbeo in her easy 

Tbin. in disguiu 

On Tibet's or on 

OBiin 



IT the I 



•'dales 



gie back Ihy U 
The birks on Yarrow now (ieplor e, 
Thy moumfu' mute has left Ihe sbore. 
Near what blight burn, or crfstaJ spring. 
Did yau yaur vinuime thistle bing? 
Hic Mnio sball Iberc, vV vraler; ee, 
Gie the dunk swaird a lenr for thee ; 
An' Yarraw'B geniua^ dowic dame ! 
Sbsll there forget her blude-st 
On thy tad grave to seek repo 
Who mnuni'd her fate, condoi'd her woei 

f , Ur. Hamilton of Ban^ur. 



vosti 



rtloMS 



»«>' 



«o»'' 



.K'" 



,►»« 












why. 



FEBOCBSON S FOEMS. 



Tby, Laid! the wretched object of thine ire, , 
Did I not rallier Ftdth the womb eipi " 
Why did uippottiog knees prevent xoj 
Or suckling breasti sustain my infant breath 3 ] 
For now laj soul nilh quiet bad been blest, 
With kiuga and counsellor of eorth at rest. 
Who bade itic lioiise of de«)lation rise, 
And awful ruin strike tyrannic eyes ; 
Or with Ibe princes unto whom were told 
Rich store of silver and corrupting ^Id ; 
Or, as untimely birth, I bad not been 
Like infant wbo the light both neier seen : 
For there the nicked from their trouble cease, 
4nd there the weary find their lasdng peace ; 
fbere the poor prisoners together rest, 
Sot by the hand of injury are presl j 
rhe small and great together mingled are, 
^d ftee the servant from hisi master, there. 

to the comfortless and wretched given ? 
f diould the troubled and opprese'd in soul 
t over restless life's unsettled bowl, 
» long for death, who lists not to their pray 

I with excess of joy are blest and glad, 

', then, is grateful light bcslow'd on inan, 
ne life h darktiesi, all his days a span ? 
at the mom retum'd, niy ughing csme 
mounuDg pour'd out as the moun 

'lag'd fear, with sorrow-mingled eye, 
in destruction, hideout, star'd i ' ' 
ugh no rest nor safely blest m; 
r Irotible cone, new darkness, new canlroul. 



) THOU, who with incessant gloom 
'ourts the recess of midnight tomb ! 
Vdmit me of thy mournful throng, 

The scattered woods and wilds among. 

If e'er thy discontented ear 

The voice of sympathy can cheer, 

My melancholy bosom's sigh 

Shall to your mournful plaint reply ; 

There to the fear-foreboding owl 

The angry Furies hiss and howl ; 

Or near the mountain's pendent brow, 

Where rush-clad streams in cadent murmurs flo 

EPOOE. 

Who's he that with imploring eye 
Salutes the rosy dawning sky ? 
The cock proclaims the morn in vain, 
His sp'rit to drive to its domain : 
For morning light can but return 
To bid the wretched wail and mourn. 
Not the bright dawning's purple eye 
Can cause the frightful vapours fly ; 
Nor sultry Sol's meridian throne 

-j:^/* fpars be gone. 




POEMS. 

Happy if Morpheus visils there, 

A nbile lo lull his woe and care ; 

Send Eiveetei fancies to hi)^ aid. 

And leach him to bo uDdismay'd ! 

Yet wretched atill ; fur nhen no more 

The godi their ojiiiilB Uulsam pour, 

Behold ! he starts, and views again _ 

The LibyBD monster prance aloitg the piiiib J 

Now from the ooiiug cave he tties. 
And 10 the citj's tumults hies, 
lliinking la Frolic life away ; 
Be ever cheerful, ever gay ; 

Si3tt though etiwrapp'd iu noise and 5ti 

They ne'er can heal Iiim peace when brok^d 

Ht> fears arise, he siglis again 

For solitude on rural pl.i in : 

Even there his Hisbes all convene 

To bear him to bis nuise' again. 

Hiiu tortur'd, rBck'd. and sore oppi 

He ever hunts, but never finds his i 



fl eicrcisa ! thou healing poncr, 
The toiling ruslic's diiefmt dower. 
Be Ibou whh heaven-born virtue joln'd. 
To quell (he tumults of the mind ; 
Then man as much of joy cau shnre 
From ruSiaD Winter, bleakly bare. 
As from the pure ethereal Lloze 
That wantons ju tlie Suromtr rays. 
Hie humble collage ihen can bring 
Coatenl, the comfort of a king i 



For wealth and idlcn 






OUJS *" 



A^^A life's constant f( 
THOU joyous ft«J^«ri„grf, 

we wan aid e'er I woo, 
Thy "f8^ Tt in homMe bow, 

Evennowenchan^^-"^; 

^ ujl and furies re 
How horrors, hen, and 

AnddesoUtethe^y^^i^g^i,, 



FBBGU5S0N S POEMS. 

Sad sisters of Ihe sighing groie 
Alluoe llieir lyres lo hapless love, 
Dejected aud forlorn. 

Yet hope undnunted wears thy chain, 
And imiles amidtl the growing pain, 

Nor fears ihy sad disniBj ; 
Unaw'd by power her fancy flies 
From earth's dim orb lo purer skies, 

To realms of endless day. 



Thb waving yew or cypr*ss wreatli 
:□ v^D becjueath the mighty tear; 

In vain the awful pomp uf death 
Attends the sable- shrouded bier. 

Since Strephon's rirtue's sunk to res 

Nor pity's sigh, nor iOrron's straii 

Nor magic tongue, have e'er ronfesl 



TTie just, the good, more honours share 
In what the conscious heart bestows, 

Than vice adorn'd wid] sculptor's care, 
In all the venal pomp of woes. 

A sad-ey'd mourner at bb tomb, 
I Thou, friendship ! pay ihy rites divine, 
And echo (hrough the midnight gloom 
Hiat Strephon's early full u'os thine. 



Ns*EB fash your thi 
To be the weird o* 
Nor deal in cantrip' 
To spier how fast y< 
But patient lippen i 
Nor be in dowy tho 
Whether we see ma 
Than this that spits 
Now moisten weel ' 

• 

Wi* coutby friends 
Ne*er let your hope 
For eild and thraldi 
The day looks gash 
Nor care ae strae at 



ON 



GhostB, and rrighlTul spectres gaunt, ^^^^| 
Cburch-jartls' dreary rootpaths haunt, ^^^^^| 
And brush with ^liher'd arms Ihe devi ^^^M 
That &U upon the drooping jews. ^^^^1 


THE AUTHOB's life. ^^^^| 

My life U like the flowing stream ^^H 
That glides where sum mec's beauties teell%^^^l 
Meets sU Ihe riches of [he gale ^^H 
That on in watery bosom sail, ^^^ 
' And wanders 'midst Eljaian grovee 1 
Through all the hannts that fanry loves. 1 
May I, when droopfng days dedine, J 

And 'giuQst those genial streams combine, 1 

The winter's sad decay forsake, ^^^^^^l 
And centre in toy parent lake. ^^^^M 


Sinci brightest beauty soon must fade, ^^^| 
That in life's spring so long has roH'd. | 

And wither in the drooping shade. 1 
E'er it return to native mould; 1 

Yh rirgini, «ei»e the fleeting hour, J 
In time coteh Cylherea's joy, J 

Ere nge jour "-Dnted smiles deflower, M 
And hopes of love and life annoy. ■ 



On a X^ux^jf- • ^^^^^ct to 



U v~- 



«,av revere that tr« 
^-bere ^^leve ^^^ ^^ de 






*.«Tr,B,AM> 




hy friends Ibe joyful netia believe ? 
K) perfect sense anil fteling live ? 
lespair, mid melsncbol; fled, 

Ifaeir gloocay horrors round th; bed ? 

dws'd the iroulileB of Iby brmD, 

fiiwblba! her saving arm inclin'd, 
Ihy body sLrcnglh ID suit tby mind ? 



«e thee anile ; 
In thee in tbo Muses' file, 
Igrtice along tbeit gardens move, 
mid nreatfas as sportiiely you rove : 
>e liiends, in thy afTecUans jinn'd, 

:an juslice to dieir juy afford, 

irtion of (Aemsetei restor'd ! 

Is unknown — friendsby Ihy merit eoni'd. 

^e dulness only 's unconccro'd ; 

ilmd iancy, all tbeir powers display, 

!a Iby second natal day. 

Efver, trembling VttSi ftie vMwift. 
B its be&uteouB lace 4rfo<™\ 



1 



But creep in murmure to tbeii 
Untaught by art, their parent 
And oaoe more freely and uni 



THE VANITY OF HUft 

An Elegy, ocatsioned by the 
Roberi Fergiu 

BY THE LATS JOHN 



Oak desiderio sit pudor, n 

Tarn cari capitis? praecipe 1 

Cantos, Melpomene : cui 1 

Vocem cum cithara dedi 



Dark was the night — and sil 
No mirthful sounds urg'd < 



FEBGUS30N S POEMS. 

le tbu9 I spake, a foice assail'd my ear, 

Mil — 'twas slow — it llll'd aif mind with 
dreud! 

vbear, (it cried), thy tDOml Ihjs forbear, 
r chnnge the strtuii, for Kemgussoh is dead J 

we not seen hitn sporting on tfaese pidiu? 
'e WD nut lieard bim strike the Mum' lyie? 
we not felt the magie of his siraiiu, 
ich often glow'd with fancy's wannest fire 7 

we aol hop'd these strains would long be 

^e we not told how ofl they touch 'd the soul ? 

IBB aol Scotia mid, her youlliful Bard 

;ht spread ber fiunc even id the distant pole ? 



lece sweet songs which 
e mirthful strains shall n 



thi< proclaims how vain are all the joys 
atit we so ardently wish to i 

ruthless late so oft, so soon 

a high-born hopes even nf ihe Muses' inrin. 



I 

iriU, 4 

I 



Oft then, O mortals ! ott tms u.t^«^_ 
Should be proclaim'd— for fate is in 

That genius, learning, health, and vigc 
May, in one day, in death's cold 
bound." 




I ell and gh hnie nlwsys the guttural souniL 
)und of the EngliiJi diplithong t ' 
.■polled su. The French v, a so 
)cciir& in the Scotiiih language, is marked 
Itt. The 0, in genuine Scoltiih words, t 
len forming a diphthong, of folloned bj' 

fe hroad English a in wati. The SmUish 
Bog ar. always. Bid la, very often, raund 
le French e mnsculine. The ScotUab diph- 
wu, sounds like [he Latin ei. 



4 




Anest once. 
AnUher, another. 
ArUrin, different. 
Attowr^ out-over. 
Avid, old. 

Aiddfarren, or Auldf ar- 
rant, sagacious, cun- 
ning, ingenious. 
Auld Nick, one of the 
many names for the 
devil. 
AtUd world, old world. 
Auntie, dimin. of aunt. 
Awa, away. 
Ai/ont, beyond. 

B 

Ba\ a ball. 

Back'gaun, going back. 

Bagnet, a bayonet. 

Bailie, a magistrate. 

Bairn, a child. 

Baimies, children. iBe 

Bairrdu, childish. \Be 



m 

oi 

Bar 

Bos 

Bat 

Bat 

Bat 

Bat 

Bat 

t 

Ba\ 

Bet 

I s 

Bet 

Bei 

Bet 

I 

Bci 

Bei 

Be 

Be 

Be 



E 


Ml 


GLOSSARY. 209 | 


, to abide, 10 suffer. 


Bl<iwn. blown. ^^H 


d, shelter. 


B/»H.[.rl, theblue-bottle. ^^^M 


1, wealthy, plentiful. 


Sker..-ed. bovine <ba ^^M 


dy. wealthy, plcnd- 


eyes dim witb wat^ ^^^H 


Uy. 




to build, 


Blarin. blearing. T 


(in, a bouse; build- 


Bifida, blaiing. 1 


g- 


£/intin , the flame ti^og J 


, or Byke, a nest of 


and falling, us of ■ ^^J 




lamp wben the oil ii ^H 


^, a young fbllow, a 


exhausted. ^^^1 




BUd<^, blood. ^^1 


b a .helf. 


Blue-gawii, one of those ^^^1 


, benoE. 


beggars who got an- 


tee. flying swiftly 


nually on the king's 


. ..oi«N 


b!nh-dayabluegown 


-dimin. of bird. 


or cloak, with a badge. 


1 birchen. 


Blmdy, bloody. 


,.ora>vl»,aclever 


Bidden, or Bowdm. or 


vUn:htree>. 


B^din, providod, fur- 


nished. 


'to diink. Com- 


BuJfc. one-siithof a pen- 


people joining 


ny English. ^^M 


! bodies for pur- 


Bogles, spirits, hobgob- ^^H 


iog liquor, ihcy 


^H 


H birling a b„dlt. 


fionnuj or fionni/, handr ^^^^B 


B burnt mark, a 


some. beatiilfuL ^^^H 


len. 


Borvowi, borough. ^^^^| 


toscon:h. 


Bonsil, (be crow of '^^^^l 


tobruiae- 


^^H 


B tHKuil. 




>, business. 




.bustle; to bua. 


Bowk, a aroall cask open J 


buued. 


s.onee.d. 1 


buzzing. 


Brut. a. dtcUiVtj, a-^ta- J 


taabfal s/ieepi^h. 


cipicc, llie aXwfB «S » ^1 


lo blow, to biMst. 


^^M 


^H 



Jirawest, finestin apparel. 
Brawly, finely, hand- 
somely. 
Greeks, breeches. 
^ritket, or :Bisket, breast, 

bosom. 
Brithery brother. 
Broachie, diminutive of 

broach. 
Brock, a badger. | 

Brodit, pricked. 
Brog, to pierce. 

Broggs, akindof strooff 
shoes. 

Brooditf brooded. 

Broom. thackity grown 
over with broom. 

Broscy a composition of, 
boiled water and oat- C 
meal. q 

Browstert brewer. 




ig, obeerful. 



feltdw.asliglilandla- 



Claei, or C'taac, clothe 
Claiting, goiaip[ng. 
Claith, cloth. 
>- Clamihevnt, a blow. 



Clarlif, ditty, unci 
Clover, clover, 
nam. la scratch. 



■'umelhing 



:h as triih a 

Cleugli, a den beiwist 

Ciiitt, mopey. 
C/fnAin, jirlung. 
Ciitter-clallcr, idle talk, 
tteur, a swelling after a 

Jfnjt, 10 strike, to mend. 
aauled, mended. 

dimin. of coil. 



KfHt of S 



, Cagie, ox CoggiCi ftwo™- 



d * 
t 



Conveen, to assemble. 

Cooft a ninny, a block- 
head. 

Corbyy or Corbie^ a ra- 
ven. 

Comirh coming. 

Cosk, neat 

CosIUi/t neatly. 

Cotter, the inhabitant oi 
a cot-house or cottage 

Cou*d, could. 

Cou'dna, could not. 

Coup, to barter, to turn* 
ble over. 

Cour, to crouch. 

Cour*d, crouched. 

Couthy, kind, loving. 

Cow*d, kept under, ter 
rified. 

Cow, to clip short 

Cox, to persuade. 

Cozy, snug. 

Crabbit, crabbed, fretful 

Crabbitlvt peevishly, mo- 







:flM> upper place 
hail, a long seat 

ted again-it a nalL 
to deal'en. 

de«l. 
to cease, burrj, 

end, t'alL 

ra;>, a ilew drop. 

t, cleaning com 
1 chaff, 
broad turf. 

OT JJinno'l, do 

to woral^ to pusb. 
, rattling. 
m, disturbed, 
n, (nn herb) Ih^ 

i. 

•, dimin. of dog. 
tired, craied. 
stopified. hebe- 

«DuU. pain, sor- 

;•, doleful. 

.r"T^d. 
a proud pet. 
. proud, not ID 
■poke to, conceit- 

i 


ARY. 213^^1 

D^,.ff, monrnfu!, want. TJ 

iog. 
Daugl'lna, durat noL 
DouglLt, could, availed. 
Doughtier, abler, strong. 

Doughty, able, Talianl, 

strong. 
Dauk, to put under wa- ^^\ 

Donna, or Dovma, do-,^^! 
not. ^H 
Dimp, the backside. ^H 
Dour, suUen. ^H 
Dow, atn or ore able, t^^H 

Zkt»->/, iiiclined. ^^1 
Dmii. or Douy. wora^H 

wilhgrief,fatigue,&c J 
Dmji, a drop. 
Drajipii, dropped. 
DrBunl, to speak slow, 

after a agbing man- 

DrcoiHt, dreamed. 
Dret, lo tuSer, endura'. 
Drrcck, slow, tedious. ■ 
Drfc-d, endured, suffi>F^^H| 

Drib, a drop. ^^^| 
Dribbtc, lo driule. ^^H 
7]n«], drops. ^^H 

Drecpiit, drop^g. ^^M 
Drag, dTUg, _i^H 

lyravUh, Chin*, 4i™«*-' J 



water. 


Fad, 


Ihtddies, ngs. 


bi 


Duddy, ragged. 


ra 


2>tid6) rags, dothes. 


Fae, 


Dvlesj to hail the duleSf 


Fa\ 


to reach the marie. 


Fair 


Dung, worsted, pushed, 


se 


driven. 


Fan 


Durit, a stroke or blow. 


Fait 


JDwaam, a sndden pain 


Fall 


or sickness. 


Fan 


Dwattj dwell. 


Fan 


Dwynin, or Jhjoinin, de- 


Fan 


cayingi lowng bulk, 


FaH 


shrinking; 


Fas) 


B 


ca 
Fan, 


Bar\ early. 


nc 


Ee, the eye. 


FaUi 


Een, eyes. 


Fath 


B*eningf evening. 


Fan 


Eident, diligent. 


Feat 


Eery, frighted, dreading 


Feat 


spirits. 


Feck 



hughen, vieatj, hint 
id ouE of biestli. 
FoTgatha-, to meet, 



1 



I pull by ! 

nd, a petty OBtli. 

mi, health}') 



FoTueih, ^psoolh. 
' ^ou, or Fu', full, drunk. 
FoMk, oi- Pack, folk; ■ 
Fousome, hilsome, 
Faalh, plcnljr, itbund- 



' Fwldlirt, drinking, 
Fund, found. 

Furlh, forth. 



Gab, to speak boldly oi 
pertly ) the mouth. 

Cahbk, dimui, of fnb i 
moulli. 

Gabbil, of a read; and 
T eipression. 

Gabbliii, prating petlly. 
to go, gite. 

Gacd, went. 

Goes, goes. 



Ganging, going. 

Gangs, goea. 

Ganfriii, stands tin \ifii- J 



uve^ wise; lu iamw 

Terse. 
Gashly, wisely. 
GrCLthin, conversing. 
Gat, got. 

Gate, yrtLy^ manner, road. 
Ga'itisman, a plough boy. 
Gaunt, to yawn. 
Gauntingf yawning. 
Gaum, or Gaun, going. 
Gawsy, buxom, largew 
Gear, riches, goods of 

any kind. 
Geek, to toss the head in Gle 

wantonness or scorn ; Gle 

to mock. Gle 

Gyzenin, thirsting^ dry- Gle, 

ing. t 

Ghaist, a ghost Gle 

Gie, to give. \ 

Gien, given, GU 

Gie$, gives. Gli 

GUpy, a roguish boy. Glo 
Gimmer, a ewe from one Glo 



d 
Gla 

tl 
Gla 

¥ 

d 

a 

ft 
o 

g 
Glci 





GLOSSAHT. 317 ] 


f.<4clo(b. 


Gvsfi, tastes. 


tec; 1(1 bear 


CuKy, taslerol. 


K> be decid- 


Gutcher, graadfalher. 


P- 




Ngfor. 


H 


kiging for. 


mdaa. hud not. 


W tears, w 


Hae, have, to have. 4 




Bact.JieHl haet, a petlj 1 


iBping. 


oath of negatJon, no- 1 


Ufa>t 


thing, 1 


w?. 


H„ff. half. 


IWoms. 


ifo^f, Oie temple, the 


bylikeahog. 


side of the head. 


&nting.oiB.. 


He^n,. half, partly. 


h, gorman. 


Hagga. a kind of pud- 


1 


ding made of the liver 


1. 


and lung3 of a sheep. 


ta flower of 




at'"- 


Ham'd. «iTed, managed 


narrowly. 


K'-t™ 


Eair-kaimer, tuur-CoiD- 
ber. 


bpL 


JlairH.ot Rant, barrest. 


|»«df.l. 


Hale, whole, light. 


tthemoiWof 


Balesome, wholesome. 


k 




•the mistress 


HaOan, a pardtlon wall 


■use. 


in a Cflttnge. 




HaUavi-c'en, the 3I»t of 


feupremeBe- 


October. 


&.,. 


miy. holy. 
mme, horac. 


Udl.s il. 


Bam^, domestic. 


£il.M. 


//amriy. homely, afTatle. 


^ge koif.. 


Hamesfuit, yasnuxs^-a. 


e. 




i 


Ha],, anwtttcT©aTO6ov, 



Mi 

m 



HarU to drag. 
Harlifh dragging. 
Sa*s, halls. 
Ha^fii\ hatefuL 
Haudf to hold, 
Haudsy holds. 
Haugk, a valley. 
Haverilf a foolish silly 
fellow. 
'Hav)kie, a cow, properly 
one with a white face. 
ffawse, the throat. 
Bealt^\ healthful. 
Jffeart'scadt pain at the 

stomach. 
Heathery, heathy. 
HeeseyVit Heete, to^e- 

yate, to raise. 
Heez'd, elevated. 
Hehf oh! strange. 
Herd, to tend flocks, one 

wlu) tends flocks. 
Herriedf plundered. £ 

Herrirh a herring. i 



Hi 
H 
H 
H 
H 

M 
M 
B 
B 
B 



h 
h 
h 
h 
L 




Bod liquor. 



GLOSaABY. 



Sltil, lucked up. 
Km, kindred, friends. 
Sia-land, ever; kind. 
ITiri, a diurcfa. 
Ktrk-yaTd, ehiircb.yard. 






ichur 



Kimslaff, the staff of a 
Sist, chest, a shop coun- 
Jiil-nout, corner of a 

SittU, taticUctickliab. 

lively, (lifHcutt. 
Kniefly, wilh sivacity. 
JToBUie, a small round 

hiUock. 



Laigtoh a milking pal\ 

■ wilb one liandle. 
Xoin^ a landlord. 



lamb. 
Lang, Voi\j. 



J 



Lc 
Lq 
Lc 
Lc 
Li 
Li 



Ia 



jLat, let. 
LathUf a lad. 
Lave, the rest, the re- 
mainder, the others. 
Laverock, the lark. 
Lawen, a tavern reckon- 
ing. 
Leal, loyal, true, faith- 
ful 

LeaUif, loyally, honestly, La 
truly. L 

Lear, learning, to learn. 
Lear*d, leamt. 
Lea^rig, grassy ridge. 
Leem, a loom. L 

Leese me, dear is to me. L 
Leesh, Lesche, a lash. Xi 
Lerrock, the site of a 

building. L\ 

Lick, to whip or beat. L\ 
Licket, whipped. Xi 

Lieve, willingly. L\ 

Lightlym, sneering. Xi 

Ligs, lies. Xi 



GLOSSARY. 



A'a, n 



Ifc, big, 






DO, not, aaj. 
Naebodg, nobodj. 
Naetking, nothing. 
Nidg, a bone, 
Naimet, myeelf. 

Neebuur, ceighbanir. 
Needna, need not. 
ift'er-ffo-uwei, nevet-do- 

weU, 
Xeitt, next. 



McAil, cut, markeiL 
Xiclalick, a noldied Btick 
for ketiping a reckon- 

taining a quarter or ■ 

pint 
Nat', north. 
NarlaK, of or belonpng 



OAun/ alas! 

Or™, anj thing i 
what is neniful. 




p 

Pakes, chastisement. 
Pang*d, crammed. 
Pap, pop. 

Parritch, oatmeal pud- 
ding, a well known 
Scotch dish. 
Partans, crabs. 
Pat, put; a pot 
Patientfk\ waiting With 

patience. 
Paughty, proud, haughty. 
Pawky, or Pavky, witty, 
cunning, without any 
harm or bad design. 
Peats, turf for firing. 
Pechin, fetching breath 

as in an asthma. 
Pegh, to pant. 
Perfite, perfect. 
Pet, silent anger; also 
one too much caressed. 
PhilibeiTx. shnrf nptfir^rtafc I 



^^^^■■^^^^^^^H 


■QM 




^^^P GLOSSARY. C3!^^^| 


p^r 


AQief, roain. ^^^| 


e*, fl&og. 


R'mp, hoarsenos. ^^M 


i dimla. of purse. 


Jiavili, plenty. ^^H 


, ■ hare or cat. 


Rotin, roving. ^^^H 




fl™t. to roar, to bellow. ^^ 


! a 


Jiimilin, lowing. 


ttoquie, 


Jleyi*. romping, riotous 


^ajDungwoman. 


Suet, a rick of bay or 


, toquaif. 


com. 


quoU.. 


Sunile, a wrinkle. 


R 


g 


^ ragged. 


Snc, so. 


((, ranged. 


Sj/J, soft. 


.rtiyng. 




f, fl range. 


i^Jejt, softest. 


»row. 


SuU, to hleia. 


lonreEcl.. 


SsiT. to serve, a sore. 


stretched. 


Shir-d, served. 


cream; tacream. 




b, frothing, brim. 


with grief. 




*iirsr, Borer. 


iieed. 


Sairea. soreiit. 


Emoke, reach. 


Sair/if, sorely. 


t, miDtiog. 


51% sliall. 


, a blow. 




A or Bondrf, re- 


Sang, a 9ong. 


fr- 


&in^i(c!r, a songster. 


iW, rsapeeled. 


S^ri. a iJiirt. 


, reating. 


5ai<;, soul. 


a belch. 


S„«lie, a hired mourner. 


ridge. 


Sau„l, a saint. 


, die top or ridge 


Sflui. salt. 


b0U«!. 


SnwdV, salled- 




Sat, sii. 


(i a doal, 


KniTiHw'i s»V«s«*- 


opraiie, to extol. Scabbii, sctWiieA. ^^H 

^1 



ocape, a oee-mvei 


anee 


Scar'Craw, a scare-crow. 


Shell 


Scart, to scratch. 


a 


ScatUdf to scold. 


Shill 


Scaw*d, scabbed. 


Shoo 


ScUUes, covering of a 


Shop 


house. 


Shoh 


ScotU, to scold. 


Sib, 


ScouUn, scolding. 


Sic, 


Scoup, scope. 


Sich 


Scowder, to bam. 


Sicki 


Scowder'd, burnt. 


SicUi 


Scoivryf scouring. 


SiUei 


Screech, to scream as a 


Simi 


hen, partridge, &c 


Sin\ 


Scrimp, straitened, little, 


Sing 


narrow. 


Sing 


Scrimply, straitly, nar- 


Sins\ 

t 


rowly. 


Skat 


Scunner, to loath. 


Skai 


Seenil, seldom. 


Skai 


Seethe, to be nearly boil- 


J" 


ing. 


Skaii 


SeU, self. 


Skar 



^^^^^^^HH^^J^^^H 


^^^^^^^^^H^^^3 


H^^^^^'^k^irf 


g|| 


Oaui-gatin, dow going. 


Sowens. a kind of souiu 1 


S«. sly. 


ed gruel, made of die 1 


Kwiy. sljrly. 


seeds of oatmeal boil- ] 


eioeien, to quench. 


ed up till ihey make ' 


JSma'.maiL 


an Bgrceablo pudding. 


tEimt'eU, unallest 


Spae, to prophesy, to di- 


MncBt, smoke. 




'Jh,eekit, smotaL 




Bmirh,, noiUng. 






Spofc, or S,wk, spoke, 


Bnavi'imow. 


did speak. 


Snaw-Jo', .Bnim.biJL 


Spat, a spot. 


*"""*. «">"y- 


SpBul, a limb. 


£HeB. cnuirting, Utter, 


S,^r, or SjWr, U. ask, 


tbarp, firm. 


lo inquire. 


Awtfy, sharply, bitterly, 


Speel, or Sjieal, to climb. 


«mwly. 


S/iraingil, itiiped of dif- 


iShocii'I, drewed. 


ferent colours. 




i^jpoinga, stripes Of dif- 




ferent colour.. 




Spvlde. to plunder. 


enO^ ■ 




SwUen, boiled. 


Spunt. a match tipped 


&dg«-, a soldier. 


with brimstone. 


&miy, hating 9weel en- 


Sy»=d, a crew, a party. 


gaging looks; lucky. 


Sla-. a stall. 


jolly. 


Slack, a nek of hay or 


Aiam, lo swim. 






Slanuidl. the stomach. 


.fijitp, a spoonful, a smaU 




quantity of any thing 


Slang, to sting. 


liquid. 


.¥f»R7i;;i, standing. 


&apfc, fleiible, swift. 


Smp. to stop. 




Sw,.p<l, slopped. 


Rnudsr. solder; to cc- 


Slari, stout 1 




Stur»i», '.'be Usn. 1 


BajT? WCDiiD»eratUBe. 







Steeve, firm, compacted. Tae. 

Steghin, cramming. Tak 

Stent, stint, a quantity Tak, 

assigned. Tan 

Stetfy steep. Tap 

Stickit, pierced, Tau 

Stirrah, a man. Tau 

Stoiter, to stagger. Taw 

Stoiterin, staggering. TetU 

Stoo, to crop. Tean 

Stoup, a kind of jug or Tevi) 

dish with a handle. Tem 

Stawn, stolen. tic 

Strae, straw. Teni 

fi^^aifr, a stroke, to stroke. That 
Stmikitf stroked. 
StraUkf a valley. 
Strang, strong. 
Strappin, tall and hand- 
■ some. 

Straught, straight. 
Stravaig, to stroll. 

Streek, to stretch. I at 



That 
Thee 
Tkeg 
Ther, 
Ther 
Thir, 
Thin 



Wak, cboica, (o chooM. 

WalSe, iMige, beautiful ; 

boratie tuallia, fine 

rolti, woaifa. 
WatiMei, nms. 

Wame, or ITi/mf, womb. 
Wanchancy, unlucky. 
Wanrub/, unruly. 
Wanvmrdg, unworthy. 
WanwaHh, want of worth 
Ware, at World, wodd. 
WarUh/, worldly. 
Wariaek, a wiiud. 
Wart, to lay out. 

Wa'i, walls, ways. 
iPiil, wet; toknow. 

Wauk, wake. 
WauT, worse. 
Wauien'rf, or Wakened, 

awaked. 
Wee, little. 



-.,.„..„ 4 


*. > window. 


lf>f, weight. 


OM. 


ffyi^. cimniog. 


f, gay, Taunled, 


Hyte, blame, M blamft 




Y 


ten, without. 


roji, buDgrjr, having k^ 


or Wiim, OiraM. 


longing desire for any 


ooL 


thi^S^y. 


courted. 


Tariil, jerked. hBhed. 






would. 


l-riiuc/iiB, to tcream. 


m esclamstion of 


Ym, «le. 


ure or wonder. 


rird, earth. 


a«pmt.agh™t; 


Yird-lBigk, as low M 


ppantion eiacll^ 






MC, yoked. 


e appcsrante ii 


Yokiti, yoking ■ bom. 


to forebode that 


y.«,, beyond!^ 




ru«*, the itch. 




r™/v,orr«j'rf, tow 


wrong. 


as a dog. 


nod. 


rouf-Ki, yonradf. 


a wimble. 




jt beguile. 


Fi./e-day, Christmsa- 


.lyest. 


day. 




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